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L ONTARIO MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY

PUBLISHED UNDER

THE REUBEN WELLS LEONARD BEQueEst

1935

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PassENGER Piczeon (Male)

Ectopistes migratorius

The original

From the original painting, dated 1835, by William Pope.

y and is reproduced by their permission.

zs in the Toronto Public Librar

Contribution No. 7 of the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology

Sieh

PASSENGER PIGEON
IN

ONTARIO

MARGARET i: MITCHEEL

PUBLISHED UNDER

tHE REUBEN WELLS LEONARD BEQuEst

THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS

“And pigeons darkening many a mile
Roar like a tempest o'er the wood.”

_ (Alexander Wilson.—‘‘The Pilgrim”)

INSCRIBED

PAUL HAHN

Who over a period of years has collected
and generously donated to the Royal Ontario
Museum of Zoology the majority of the speci-
mens of Ectopistes migratorius in its possession.

LABEL, OF CONTENES

PAGE

RPE MIRE GIR, Bh Tet. y. Ps a ow 0 oa HES 44d ea a 11

Beate Mea Maes BCL TRO TRES 85 Melia ics oe 26.4 TSh oa have das Vn alw aoa e Qing Demat 12

Pee eNS ITO! PIFEONSs <n. so coe cs cna va a sw wohl levee 13

PORE TSA Se RWIS iS 26. Dery cairn ap al 49 4. owen. af cece abe napa eaaaee 14
Romeauvemzical.eyidernce of Origin... .. 2. os eats ca bench 14
CC oor c ew £4 ess Shas hi Baa ee ge 15

Ree EO EI OA Se sa), « a dad 4 od, SR he a 15

MORO OR ORICGSia'. ck cee 6 oa va vs 9 ood ats Seve eh pe eae ce Li
Rm ire plas ccc meets Sales 0 i hw | oS apdgns-%s aacaubere Oeeak Man ee tae OE 18
Distribution in Canada (with reference to Ontario)............. 22
: RP AAG CEN ofc ueg es, hee ss eet ok a bag clean nee 25
Peale Or MeSiNe COLONIES | hc os ue doce els we ob SE ae ge eee ee 27

MRO ME CIOS hehe sigs siecle io eet Bite na cea eee he 42

ery IAC se at). parts ofe aur era dh mccale nathan aeneeenE 43
; Bies fOmOntane MeStiNGS. «ods: sss a bayesian wee Bee 43
Dietribution of Nesting pigeons.........-. 6.42. ws1 hed 2a ee 44
Distributon of nesting colonies in Ontario................. 44

Gee OIeMES CIN SITES fore: ine sce Sen, os Sl ae ae ee eee 45

Use of nesting site for several years...................005. 47

| iceton mesting sites aS KOOStS. .-. co. -o)6 4 sss « ede eat ae 47
| Brame rae eaeitDrlOMs: 3.05 01004 sh. od a ace w bine ecg ee eee en 47
| Meme ek sc Re oes i ee ee 49
| 1 TS TCT UI Glee 8 Se eka eT er RES Us Se See 49
| mes OCMC ir Bits. 5 ooo eS eT hw bye vce ome ee ee 49
| OCU SU F015 ee a a PRN ae ree A yn rk sho 49
| "EEE CY oS a Ae ee ed in GL Ss | 50
J. Fic ol SSeS) at6t 016 [ee Sn ea RE ers Nw oe 50
Occumenee,..:.....- Os LE Ra MINED Dieter et og 51

Wy reeiiomioy OL OCCUTEENCE. oe i. 5 ods a 0s cre a eee 51

Mattlecme occurrence TECOrds . 2 6. a a, Says ns a 52

iieenecion of Outario disthipution... 2.2... 7. ae es ee ee 59

“55 TRIE T 11S eae tT me am aE, SOA et 62

“2ST SOU TSd Sse ln ee Ans; ee Oe

(atic of micratiom MigNts. c.g eas oe es ne 65

omimetits OM wmierabion TiPhts. . i. 2.00... 05 Guar: ha eae peer 80

ameter PANTO ETON. 9p eo nace" ss yar boo nee ep geese oa SR 80

6 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Fall witeration.)-05 0.5. ag oc dee la eee
Formation. 0: ..v 44 AA TES Ee ees ee

Artival and departure }..6 2 0h os as ee ee ee eee
SOCINE: ALTIO Al. 808 Se ee eee a Gea
abi OF arrivals 2200 oes Taal eee ee ee ee
Fall aeparcure: (3) vo P92 Pe Be eee

Pay Mints see cdo ee 8 eee Serer ate ee
Relation to brodding P28) Agee en easier
Fights for food and "waters fd foe ee oe
Table-ol. dealy thobts:: oi). 0-259 oo Be ee

arly references i) ct. ou. st poop eee Pa ee ape ee
Pood eaten in Ontarios c24 fee er a

Jit SOrinigt Tesh de ob Cala cee Pees oie on oe eee
Iit-summer. 2 2050 1 eos 2) ae et ee

Ber Ureunn? FF a ce oes erent ee ane eee ee

List of plants from ‘botanical literature. .: 2. 3... 02... ae oe
Feeding habits :)¢ cl ae igi. ter ne ee ee aaa ae

FUR G@MOMME SEAEUS. 6.5 oy oti rccspn tans gon Bar nao enecay, 6 Coan eee ee

MOTE AS MOOR oe ey state aks ssn ee ee Sg he aaa) ae ee ee
Tia EINE PIOHCETS 25> 4 se ees ssa ea nee eee
TO the Todas rae ees ee ee Ee ee
Methods of preparation... sic 2) 2.0) eee
seal feathers br obo aed woe e sc echee 2 6 eee ee
Niedicinall sesi oe.) Fy een ec eg ben oe
Markeline-Gl qoi@eOns. A. %..00 0 eas 2 ote ca pe eee

PON TELIO. 208 le ee ee en eee

Gap SNOOMNOt af a..4 sysname a he ee

Pn Cain dans 059, eo nee a eels oa ee
Niethods of taking pigeons... .0eich ee pots oe, pees Sue ed ae eee
Barly relerencesig... ss uke < aaeks ok een ae ne
Bows and. arrows... 0s 2 far Mew ee ARs oe al eee
ShOOthne 6. 20K jd det eS ee 2 ee ee ee
INGGHMS,. oc. the Gs ul eee Ga di ey eo a ee eee
Netting in Ontario. 2.5 ..45 Tou. oe oe ee ee ee

APC ANAC a hand 40. oe Ree a pee Nestle eee ee a

Other methods... ... ),.«c. Ae ee eee eee 7

.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 7

PAGE

RIAU IGIERITICOUEEINOELG, <.-- 5 Gah ve acy isoa dx aces Binns kaon see 4, 0a SARE ¢ 129
Be ere SLELNUNSLION: 6.456. goo es Dew too be ero ates eee 130
Theory of sudden disappearance a fallacy.................. 130
Bie arcane iy ONtariG is 1. 6 od oe ho ve a eee ee 131
Last: reported appearances in Ontario... .........¢).la00.4.. 132

Se aeesencine TOrextermination...« 04.02.61 vee ee 7
rege IMAEGIALe CAUSE: os s6 . 0 us os Ceo Weems were 137
Meu MOAI in a a kan & od ev Phe eee ee 139

| E25 SS a ee ee ane oe ae Pe MI got eK a6 ert 141
amc cestcuction:-of the species... 4.5... Jes seve ee 142
eta eee PAVSU TORS, Vo cel 0 so. bases e's 9 Sv Waly oe hid Dace etengane om a 143
Contemporary opinions on extermination.................. 144
ARM 2 NI ge Se ak) ices ach ws Sp pS eee 147
i ON 08, echt al aes, doo. dk Pcs hiatdals & So a Satan hee, Pol ae 148
MePeinicis iy CmariO, CONeCTIONS » :...2:).'4.... «Ps eset ie Se ey 150
Rs tet ERIE CID cere ea Sr | Fe octet tosh resonance ma! soars! aha oak ete ae eee 153
TOE aM as to Boake ohc sth a cet, og SPR ee ee 162

Pi
L
f

ILLUSTRATIONS
ee eet SOM eee 6), 2 es Ee a keg n'a) Revere al ae ee FRONTISPIECE
Photograph of Royal Ontario Museum Habitat Group........... 10
Wie a GES ISERIIUTON «. 2 5a bw coeies os we iste ake bE ining Pos 23
Pins pe meeING a LIMO INCCONOG? i cy, tt dns ADR wads Bess Owes 26
Ria a ECU RmeMCeINCCOLGS: oly see oa sb Peal eb wield oud 58
NFS) Castle BE Grecia ices ALG) 1 0 eS ean a ee ar ae 81
Map 5. Fall Migration........ PR a ke 5 Pee Beinn a sine 3, 8 ede 83
AiGvestibeiiente Oy Pigeom. Dram... 2.8 vie ee eck shies Nos ea ae. 13
AGgwericement.o. Pigeon Shooting Match.'!..):. 022. .au vr. ee 118
Simi ee ACE OU me Mire ne Vn a ek dies oo en ae 121
Pret er G is VeulIne NIEtNOG 6.7.5.0 98 05 Ok ac aon bite wo tyne ae 125

Migeeainr ot Tectia VECUNOG iui sc ene ae Bee ete, 126

‘OINVING ‘LIGAN) AO SMYOY AVAN S,OYOST AHL NI ONINYOW TlddY NV SLOIddd Gaondoddaa

ANSOS AHP “ADOTOOZ AO WOASOIY OIYVINGQ) TVWAOY AHL NI dort) LvyLIdvEH AO HdvyadoLou q

INTRODUCTION

Oe of the most fascinating chapters in the annals of North Ameri-
can wild life is filled by the history of the passenger pigeon.

Occurring in numbers that seem to have exceeded those of any
other bird of which we have record, the species would command the
attention for that reason alone, even without the additional fascination
of being now extinct.

We have to-day this history complete, and it is possible to trace it
from misty beginnings in the Pleistocene to the death of the last survivor,
Martha, who died at the age of about twenty-five in the Cincinnati
Zoological Garden in 1914.

Much has already been written of these birds, beginning with accounts
from early travellers and pioneers and ending with the more scientific
records of such men as Forbush and Barrows. However, nothing as
exhaustive as this monograph has ever been attempted. W.B. Mershon
and J. C. French made valuable collections of information for their
respective States of Michigan and Pennsylvania, but as they themselves
assert they were both simply interested and enthusiastic laymen. It is
felt, therefore that the present work has a definite contribution to make
to the knowledge of an extinct species. It not only preserves such
information as we have concerning passenger pigeons in the province
of Ontario, but it also covers rather fully several aspects of the birds’
life-history which have before been only touched upon. Enumerating
the most important, they are: food; northern limits of occurrence and
nesting; variation in numbers; fixed migration routes, and finally, a new
theory of extermination which divests former theories of much of their
uncertainty and mystery.

This breadth of scope was not definitely realized when the work was
begun. In 1926 the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology issued a question-
naire, as a means of assembling information on the subject of wild pigeons
from Ontario residents who remembered them. It was distributed
widely in the province and a mass of detail was obtained in the answers.
At first it was thought that the mere tabulation of these answers would
be sufficient, but it was gradually realized that much more supplementary
material was to be found in early Canadian and American literature.
Then as data were obtained from these various sources and arranged, it
was further apparent that sufficient reliable information warranted the

12 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

making of certain statements and the formulation of theories as enu-
merated above.

The plan of this book is based roughly on the Museum questionnaire,
that is, the order of the subject headings follows that of the questions.
The information derived from the questionnaires is, wherever possible,
supplemented by extracts or information from the literature. Also
several extracts and one or two articles deemed sufficiently important are
to be found in an appendix together with a copy of the questionnaire.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology wishes to express its gratitude
to all those who have answered questionnaires or have in any way con-
tributed information, and the author wishes to thank the members of the
Museum staff who have been most kind in giving both informative and
critical assistance.

THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

RELATIONSHIP OF PIGEONS

There are distributed throughout the world about five hundred species
of pigeons which are divided into five main families, to the second of
which, the Columbidae, belong the dozen or more species to be found in
North America. Of these only three occur north of the more southern
States—the band-tailed pigeon (Columba fasciata fasciaia), a western
species confined to the Pacific coast—the mourning dove (Zenaidura
macroura), more eastern in its distribution—and the passenger pigeon
(Ectopisies migratorius) with the widest range of all, occurring once from
the Mackenzie District to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Rocky
Mountains to the Atlantic seaboard.

The passenger pigeon’s relationship to other pigeons was indicated
by the possession of many of the usual characteristics of appearance and
habit common to the family. Its beak and feet were slim and weak in
proportion to its size; its plumage was thick and sleek, exhibiting the
usual iridescence on the sides of the neck. Its nest was crudely con-
structed; the eggs, white; the young altricial and fed with regurgitated
curd. It drank (as do pigeons distinct from all other birds) without
lifting the head, and fed largely upon vegetable material—fruit, seeds
and grain.

In general appearance the passenger pigeon differed considerably from
practically all others of the family, being slimmer and more pleasingly
proportioned. This was due to its tail, which, in distinction from the
rather short, square tail of the majority of pigeons, was long and definitely
pointed, and balanced the heaviness through the shoulders which is so
characteristic of pigeons in general. .

The nearest relative of the passenger pigeons’ (Ectopistes migratorius)
is the mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura), and there is a distinct resem-
blance between the two. Their build is similar; they possess, pro-
portionately, the same length of neck, giving the sloping shoulder outline,
the same long pointed tail, and the same slim, trim aspect of the whole
body. A comparison of the two will show, however, a distinct difference
in colouration, the passenger pigeon being, even in the female, more
brightly and definitely coloured, while the softer shades of the mourning
dove blend almost imperceptibly one into another. There was also a
considerable difference in size between the two, the wild pigeon measuring
about sixteen inches while the dove is only about eleven inches long.
There were other differences: the wild pigeon seems to have been a more

14 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

vigorous and dashing bird with few of the accepted dove-like ways; it was
noisy and its notes were loud and decisive, not soft and crooning as are
the mourning dove’s. Indeed it might appear significant that one is
called a pigeon and the other a dove, but this is evidently of no import-
ance scientifically. _Newton’s Dictionary of Birds (139) says: ‘‘No sharp
distinction can be drawn between Pigeons and Doves, and in general
literature the two words are used almost indifferently, while no one
species can be pointed out to which the word Dove, taken alone, seems
to be absolutely proper.”’

Ectopistes seems to have been unique among pigeons and doves in
its habit of nesting in huge colonies in which the birds were closely con-
gregated. Other species of pigeons have often distinct breeding areas
where nests are found commonly throughout the trees but none seems
to nest habitually in such a congested manner as did the passenger
pigeon.

The huge flocks of this species were its greatest claim to distinction.
They were unequalled in their enormous size and also in the fact that
they were maintained to a greater or less degree practically throughout
the whole year. Other pigeons exhibit nearly always a tendency to
gather in flocks after the nesting season is over, and to wander about
the country in this way during the autumn and winter, but the passenger
pigeon flocked at all seasons of the year and, in the more northern part
of its range, in flocks of larger size in the spring than in the fall, thus
reversing the custom of the family as a whole.

RANGE

Ectopistes migratorius formerly occurred throughout eastern North
America, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Mackenzie river valley and
from the Atlantic seaboard to the Rocky Mountains. Its range is given
in the American Ornithologists’ Union check list (3) as: ‘Bred formerly
from middle western Mackenzie, central Keewatin, central Ontario,
central Quebec, and Nova Scotia south to Kansas, Mississippi, Kentucky,
Pennsylvania and New York. Wintered principally from Arkansas and
North Carolina south to central Texas, Louisiana and Florida. Casual
west to Oregon, Nevada, Washington, and eastern Mexico; accidental in
Bermuda, Cuba, the British Isles and Europe.”’

PALAEONTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF ORIGIN

It is fascinating to speculate on the origin and history of such a wide
spread and extravagantly numerous species—when were they at their
maximum and how many years did it take them to attain it? Had the

EARLY REFERENCES 15

Indians known them in greater numbers than existed on the arrival of
the white man? Palaeontological evidence shows pigeons to have been
cosmopolitan since the Miocene, and a fossil dove is reported by Wetmore
from beds ascribed to the Upper Pliocene of southern Arizona, so that it
seems probable that North American pigeons had their origin many
hundreds of thousands of years ago. In fact Dr. Wetmore says (188):
“It is my belief that these two ages (Miocene and Pliocene) mark the
period of evolution of our modern genera of birds, and that there has
come comparatively little change in generic type since. . . .From some-
what meagre information I am inclined to regard the close of the Tertiary
as the period of greatest diversity and abundance in bird life in the earth’s
history so far as North America is concerned, and to believe that with
the rigors of climate incident to the opening of the Pleistocene, and even
more unfavorable conditions of the historic part of the Recent Period
occasioned by the increase of man over the earth, there has been steady
reduction and extermination among birds, a process that will continue
in spite of protective regulation until most of the peculiar forms have
disappeared and only the more adaptable ones remain.”’

Shufeldt (158) has identified several bones of Ectopistes migratorius
from the Pleistocene deposits of the Bone Caves of Tennessee, showing
that it was established as a species in that period, and from Wetmore’s
suggestions may have been so for several hundreds of thousands of years.
It has therefore had a long span of life, and it is strange to think that we
to-day may look back to those dim beginnings which were taking place
perhaps before even the red man came to America and may also see,
within the memories of many of us, the writing of the last chapters of the
species’ history.

EARLY REFERENCES
Faslern America

Since ‘‘turtle doves’’ and ‘‘wood pigeons’ were first mentioned by
Jacques Cartier (16) as occurring in 1534 on what is now Prince Edward
Island, there have been many and varied accounts of the passenger
pigeon, ranging from mere references to such famous descriptions as
those of Wilson (191) and Audubon (9). The majority of these concern
the birds in their southern range, so that it may be more pertinent here
to quote from such early accounts as have been found of them in Canada,
understanding, of course, that in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
Canada had somewhat different boundaries from those of the present.

In the ‘‘Jesuit Relations’’ (176) of the seventeenth century there are
many references to the pigeon, the earliest being an account of its abun-
dance in Acadia in 1610 (176a). In Le Jeune’s Relation of 1636-37

16 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

(176d) he says: ‘‘In one season the turtle doves are sometimes found in
such abundance that the end of their army cannot be seen when they
are flying in a body; at other times in the same season they appear only
in small flocks. . . .Our Savages are like them in this inconstancy.”’

The Relation of 1662-63 (176f) gives a description of a ‘‘Journey
from the Entrance to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence up to Montreal’’ and
quotes from an unknown writer: ‘‘“Among the birds of every variety to
be found here, it is to be noted that Pigeons abound in such numbers
that this year one man killed a hundred and thirty-two at a single shot.
They passed continually in flocks so dense, and so near the ground that
sometimes they were struck down with oars. This season they attacked
the grain fields where they made great havoc, after stripping the woods
and fields of strawberries and raspberries which grow here everywhere
under foot. But when these Pigeons were taken in requital they were
made to pay the cost very heavily; for the Farmers, besides having
plenty of them for home use, and giving them to their servants, and even
to their dogs and pigs, salted caskfulls of them for the winter.”’

In later accounts pigeons are often referred to as being more numerous
inland than at the seaboard, but there is much early evidence which
shows that they were at one time quite as plentiful on the coast. Nicolas
Denys (77a), describing a meadow on the lower part of a river emptying
in the Bay of Chaleur, says: ‘‘On it are also a great quantity of Straw-
berries and Raspberries and here collects so great a number of Pigeons
that it is incredible. I once remained there eight days toward the feast
of St. Jean [June 24] during which every morning and evening we saw
flocks of them passing, and of these the smallest were of five to six
hundred. . . .They did not remain on the ground more than a quarter
of an hour at most, when there came other flocks of them to rest in the
same place; the first ones then arose and passed along. I leave you to
imagine whether they were not killed in quantities, and eaten in all
fashions.”

Even one hundred years later they were still abundant at the sea-
board. Campbell (86) says concerning New Brunswick: “. . .of pigeons,
in the season, may be seen from any eminence 10,000 flocks, or as far
as the eye can reach.”’

Lake Champlain was at this time in ‘“‘Canada”’ and the entertaining
Baron de la Hontan (177) tells of being near this lake in September,
1686: “After which we resolved to declare War against the Turtle-Doves,
which are so numerous in Canada, that the Bishop has been forc’d to
excommunicate ’em oftner than once, upon the account of the Damage
they do to the Product of the Earth. With that view, we imbarqued
and made towards a meadow in the neighbourhood of which, the Trees

APE

EARLY REFERENCES 17

were cover'd with that sort of Fowl, more than with Leaves: For just
then 'twas the season in which they retire from the North Countries,
and repair to the Southern Climates; and one would have thought, that
all the Turtle-Doves upon Earth had chose to pass thro’ this place. For
the eighteen or twenty days that we stay’d there, I firmly believe that
a thousand men might have fed upon ’em heartily, without putting
themselves to any trouble.”’

In a later edition (91) there is a more detailed passage which is
interesting to compare with the one already quoted; the contents are
practically the same but the old French has a certain spice that is lost
in the translation. ‘‘Pour changer donc de victuaille en gens d’honneur,
et sans dégénérer, nous conjurdmes la ruine des tourterelles. Cette
espéce est une des plus fécondes qu'il y ait en Canada; elle y fourmille:
C’est bien ici ot la Prophetie du Berger de |’Egloque s’accomplit a la
lettre, ‘la tourterelle ne cessera de pousser ses gemissemens de dessus
l’Orme, nec gemere aéria cessabit turtur ab ulmo.’ Croiriez-vous que ces
Oiseaux nous pillent ici, tant il yena? On est contraint de les exorciser
comme si c’étoient les legions de Diable, et il n’y a pas encore long-tems
que notre Monseigneur |’Evéque fut contraint de les foudroyer a grosses
goutes d’eau benite, pour le falut des biens de la terre.’

Peter Kalm (81), the Swedish naturalist, after his travels through
America, wrote an excellent article on the passenger pigeon in which he
says: ‘““The Birds spend the entire summer in Canada, and particularly
do they nest in the vast wild forests and wastes which abound there,
where no men are to be found and where seldom any human being
ventures. When in the summer a person travels through these forests
he might easily be terrified by the enormous number of these birds, which
in some places almost entirely cover the branches of the trees and, when
taking wing obscure the sky.”

Indian Legends

It appears rather strange, under the circumstances that there is
apparently very little reference to this amazingly spectacular creature
in Indian folk-lore. It seems natural to suppose that a bird possessing
such great beauty and living in such an overwhelmingly “‘grand manner’”’
would have become closely linked with the observances and fables of a
nature worshipping race. Perhaps this was actually the case and it is
merely that such instances have never been recorded; on the other hand
it may be that pigeons were such a common occurrence that they were
considered purely from the point of view of provender, with no romantic
glamour about them.

18 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

After considerable searching I have found only three stories of Indian
origin—two from the Hurons and one from the Neutrals. In the ‘‘Jesuit
Relations” of 1636 (176c) in a chapter headed ‘‘The Ideas of the Hurons
Regarding the Nature and Condition of the Soul, Both in this Life and
after Death’’ Le Jeune says: “‘At the feast of the Dead, which takes
place about every twelve years, the souls quit the cemeteries, and in the
opinion of some are changed into Turtledoves, which they pursue later
in the woods, with bow and arrow, to broil and eat.’’ Further on in the
_ same Relation this idea is enlarged upon in the description of the Solemn
Feast of the Dead, as practised by the Hurons: ‘‘Many think we have
two souls, both of them being divisible and material, and yet both
reasonable; the one separates itself from the body at death, yet remains
in the cemetery until the feast of the Dead,—after which it either changes
into a Turtledove, or, according to the most common belief, it goes away
at once to the village of souls.”

The Neutral story (61) tells of a great famine suffered by the Indians;
all the animals had been driven away by terrible snow storms sent by the
angry Manitou, all the lakes and streams were so frozen that fishing was
impossible, and the Indians were starving. Then suddenly hosts of
pigeons appeared each bearing in its beak a spray of huckleberries.
These they dropped upon the villages and then flew away. The Indians
followed them and after many days of searching at last found the great
swamp from which the berries had been plucked and so were saved.
It would be interesting to know whether this story is of true Indian
origin or whether it received its inspiration from the story of Noah’s dove.

Early References in Ontario

The history of the passenger pigeon in Ontario is really the history
in miniature of the species in North America. It passes through all the
stages from abundance in pioneer days to scarcity and extinction within
the memory of men still living.

Upper Canada, which conformed to the present boundaries of Ontario
in all except its northern limits, was formed in 1791 and a map of that
period shows only York (Toronto) and Kingston as places of any import-
ance, so that although there was a fringe of farms and tiny settlements
along the lake shores this great tract was still practically untouched by
man; and if passenger pigeons were at the time said to be diminishing
at the seaboard due to the encroachments of civilization they must have
been almost undisturbed in what was later to become Ontario. This
whole area was heavily timbered with maple, oak, elm, beech, pine,
cedar and many more indigenous species. Great forests stretched away
on every side from the new settlements, with few natural clearings and

EARLY REFERENCES 19

in many places free of undergrowth, so close were the great trees. Here
and there the monotony was broken by occasional lakes, a beaver meadow,
or a larger opening such as the ‘‘Rice Lake Plains,’’ but on the whole it
was a region of heavy woods; and these conditions prevailed largely until
the middle of the next century. For example I have gleaned the follow-
ing facts from various accounts of old Ontario. In 1832 Goderich was
still the most northerly settlement in the west and had at that time a
population of three hundred (29). In 1836—as an instance of how slight
settlement was—from Andrew Pickens’ (145) account of conditions in
the Canadas these items are taken at random: ‘‘Fenelon—Sozil, little
known. Disadvantages, very remote; not settled.” ‘‘Esquesing— Soil,
principally sand, clay in some parts. Disadvantages, lying in the rear
of Trafalgar, and want of highways, mills, etc.’’ And in 1840 there were
few evidences of settlement except in the Niagara and Gore Districts
(the present counties of Halton, Wentworth, Lincoln and Haldimand),
in the Prince Edward region and along the Ottawa river. While in a
Handbook (42) of 1866 it is surprising to read: ‘‘Toronto to Collingwood
(via Ontario Simcoe and Huron Railroad)—on this route the country,
as far as Lake Simcoe, of which a good view is obtained from the cars,
is well settled, and the soil is generally excellent; but after passing
Holland’s Landing, the road is almost entirely through the forest.”’

As might be expected the country abounded in wild life. Deer were
common, bears numerous, rabbits were plentiful and squirrels positively
swarmed in certain localities in some seasons. Amongst the birds, wood-
peckers were conspicuous, grouse were everywhere and in the lake regions
water-fowl occurred in prodigious numbers during migration.

The first important reference to passenger pigeons in the newly
formed Upper Canada is that of Weld (185): “‘A gentleman of the town
of Niagara assured me, that once as he was embarking there on board
ship for Toronto, a flight of them was observed coming from that quarter;
that as he sailed over Lake Ontario to Toronto forty miles distant from
Niagara, pigeons were seen flying over head the whole way in a contrary
direction to that in which the ship proceeded; and that on arriving at the
place of his destination, the birds were still observed coming down from
the north in as large bodies as had been noticed at any one time during
the whole voyage; supposing, therefore, that the pigeons moved no faster
than the vessel, the flight, according to this gentleman’s account, must
at least have extended eighty miles. . . .It is not oftener than once in
seven or eight years, perhaps, that such large flocks of these birds are
seen in the country.”

In 1822 Howison (92) says: ‘‘Long Point abounds with game of
various kinds. . . .Immense flocks of the passenger or wild pigeon

20) THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

frequent this and other parts of Upper Canada during the spring and
autumn; and myriads of them are killed by firearms or caught in nets
by the inhabitants,’’ showing how soon upon settlement followed the
local destruction of this bird and its subsequent retreat into the wilderness.

Some twenty years later Sir Francis Bond Head, in the vivacious and
entertaining account of his residence at York during his Governorship of
Upper Canada (87) says: ‘‘But while this joyful process is proceeding
in the vegetable world, the interminable forest is once again becoming
the cheerful scene of animal life. . . .The air is filled—the light of heaven
is occasionally almost intercepted from morning till night—by clouds of
pigeons, which, as the harbingers of spring, are seen for many days
flying over the forest, guided, I have been credibly informed, by a
miraculous instinct, not only to the particular remote region in which
they were reared but to build their own nests in the very trees upon
whose branches each individual bird was hatched! but if, as is well known
they are instinctively led to the country of their birth, it is not improbable
that, when they reach it, they will rapidly search out for themselves
their own ‘homes’.”’

The reminiscences of King (101) contain one of the best accounts of
a flight of pigeons. This was published in 1866 but probably referred
to an event of several years prior to that date: ‘“‘While quartered at Fort
Mississisaugua [sic]. . . .near Niagara, I had one year [probably about
1860] in the month of May, the gratification of witnessing a spectacle
I had frequently heard of—namely, a grand migration of the Passenger
Pigeon. 2:

“Early in the morning I was apprised by my servant that an extra-
ordinary flock of birds was passing over, such as he had never seen before.
Hurrying out and ascending the grassy ramparts, I was perfectly amazed
to behold the air filled, the sun obscured by millions of pigeons, not
hovering about but darting onwards in a straight line with arrowy flight,
in a vast mass a mile or more in breadth, and stretching before and behind
as far as the eye could reach.

“Swiftly and steadily the column passed over with a rushing sound,
and for hours continued in undiminished myriads advancing over the
American forests in the eastern horizon, as the myriads that had passed
were lost in the western sky.

“Tt was late in the afternoon before any decrease in the mass was
perceptible, but they became gradually less dense as the day drew to a
close. At sunset the detached flocks bringing up the rear began to settle
in the forest on the Lake-road, and in such numbers as to break down
branches from the trees.

“The duration of this flight being about fourteen hours, viz. from

MEM wig. 2g!

EARLY REFERENCES 21

four a.m. to six p.m. the column (allowing a probable velocity of sixty
miles an hour, as assumed by Wilson), could not have been less than
three hundred miles in length, with an average breadth, as before stated
of one mile.”

This may be a rather exaggerated estimate, as undoubtedly there
must have been many breaks in the column, but nevertheless it gives a
most vivid idea of the still enormous numbers of this bird—numbers
which make its subsequent extinction all the more amazing.

It is quite apparent that such game must have been of great import-
ance to the pioneers from a purely economic standpoint. This is borne
out by a report (54) sent by Colonel Henry Hope of Niagara to Lord
Sydney in 1785 which states: “‘The quantities of wild pigeons and fish,
which are taken in abundance during the same period [June Ist to Sept-
ember Ist] will contribute to their support, and I conceive an allowance
of one pound of flour per day for grown persons and half that quantity
for those under ten years would enable them to live on their lands to the
Ist of September after which the crop of that year will abundantly
support them.”’

It has also been said: ‘‘During the flight of these pigeons, which
generally lasts three weeks or a month, the lower sort of Canadians
mostly subsist on them’”’ (4). Indeed some servants are said to have
stated in their contracts that they would not eat pigeons more than so
many times a week; and on reading the diary of Mr. Joseph Wilcocks (106)
of York one wonders whether masters as well, ever had any comment
to make on a monotony of diet. On August 10th, 1801, he says: ‘‘Had
for dinner Roast Beef, Ducks, Pidgeons.’’ Tuesday, August 11th:
‘We had for dinner cold beef, Pidgeons, hash and melons.’”’ And pigeons
are included in the dinner menu on the following dates, August 13, 18,
19; 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31 and September 1, 3, 4 and 7.

In other pioneer accounts references are made to the pleasant change
from salt pork that the pigeons made in their season, and how they were
also salted down for winter use. Mrs. Traill (180) gives several recipes
for cooking pigeons, among others one for Pot-pie; ‘‘Pigeons stuffed,
larded and cooked in the bake-kettle, are very nice; and are tenderer,
and more savoury than when baked in the stove. To make a pot-pie
of them, line the bake-kettle with a good pie-crust; lay in your birds,
with a little butter on the breast of each, and a little pepper shaken over
them, and pour in a tea-cupful of water—do not fill your pan too full;
lay in a crust, about half an inch thick, cover your lid with hot embers
and put a few below. Keep your bake-kettle turned carefully, adding
more hot coals on the top, till the crust is cooked. This makes a very
savoury dish for a family.

22 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

‘Pigeons are best for table just after the wheat harvest; the young
birds are then very fat.”

DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA—WITH REFERENCE TO ONTARIO

The broad outlines of the distribution of Ectopistes migratorius as
given in the American Ornithologists’ Union check list (3) have already
been quoted, but when going into the matter more closely with Ontario
in mind, several interesting facts appear.

This was a species essentially of the forest and a comparison of data
on distribution of wild pigeons with that of forest distribution shows a
close correlation. The heavily forested regions extend across Canada
from east to west in a sloping line, from slightly north of 50° to slightly
north of 60°, which seems to coincide with the known breeding range
of the pigeon. Peter Kalm (81) sets the northern boundary for breeding
at considerably south of this line in Quebec, but as so often occurs with
scientists of a past age, his assertion was no doubt correct only according
to contemporary information. He says: ‘‘These Pigeons have however
their distinct boundaries, outside of which they do not often venture;
as for example, somewhat south of Bay St. Paul, which is 20 French miles
north of Quebec, not very many of them nest in the woods, and the
cause of this is said to be that the oak and the beech tree, which supply
them with their principal food, are here arrested in their growth, and
grow no further north.”

There is no doubt that pigeons nested more plentifully where mast
was obtainable, yet we are told on good authority (Forster (74)) that
they abounded at Moose Factory, and they also bred there (Hutchins’
MSS (95)), which place is on the northern edge of the heavily forested
area and far beyond the northern limits of oak and beech. Low (114)
records the taking of a set of passenger pigeon eggs in 1887 at Fort
George on the east shore of James’ Bay which is between 53° and 54°,
but this record is apparently open to question.

Eastern Quebec records are: Gaspé, said to have been numerous, until
about 1845 (178), in fact they formerly ‘‘abounded’’ there according to
Nicolas Denys (77b); reported from Metis and St. Anne des Monts by
Robert Bell (18); Anticosti, very rare, one seen by Verrill in 1860 (141);
Pte. des Monts, Quebec, a rare and irregular visitor (130).

From Labrador is the following report (179) also open to question:
‘Formerly very rare, now extirpated. . . .Cartwright (40) on August 22,
1775, in Sandwich Bay [about 53°] enters in his journal this note: ‘Near
the mouth of the brook we saw a pair of doves, and I killed one with my
rifle; it was much like a turtle dove and fed on the berries of Empetrum
nigrum. I never heard of such a bird in the country before and I believe

DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA

‘epeues UI UOINII}sIp JsotO4—T] dv]

24 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

they are very scarce.’ These may have been either Passenger Pigeons
or Mourning Doves.”’

West of the province of Quebec the species was said to reach ‘62° in
warm central districts and 58° in very warm summers on Hudson’s
Bay” (13). Forster (74) says: ‘‘These pigeons are very scarce so far
northward as Severn river [56°] but abound near Moose-fort, and further
inland to the southward.”!

Hutchins’ MSS (95) states: “. . .one that I received at Severn,’
in the year 1771, and, having sent it home preserved to Mr. Pennant
he informed me that it was the migratoria species.’’ But this bird, of

course, might have been brought to Fort Severn from a considerable
distance and so can only be considered as a record from the Severn river
region.

‘About twenty-six years ago these pigeons migrated up as high as
York Fort [57°] but continued only two days’”’ (95).

“The Passenger Pigeon was seen in small flocks in the upper part
of the Nelson River in the beginning of September, 1878. It very rarely
passes York Factory and has never been known at Fort Churchill,”
reports Robert Bell (20), while in contradiction of this Clarke (46) states
that at Fort Churchill, [59°] a male and female were taken. These, with
a collection of other birds, were presented to the Edinburgh Museum by
Dr. Gillespie Jr., an officer of the Hudson Bay Company in 1845.

Ross reports it at Fort Norman, (65°) but as uncommon there, while
Alexander Mackenzie found it in the Fort Good Hope region, about 66°
(149). And showing that, although apparently irregular in this area,
they were by no means always mere stragglers, Thomas Simpson (159)
says that at Fort Simpson, about 62°, in the summer of 1837: ‘‘The fields
here looked well, but had a troublesome enemy in the passenger pigeons.”’

Also to show to what extremes stragglers may go: ‘‘Capt. James Ross
saw a single pigeon of this species as high as latitude 731° in Baffin’s
Bay; it flew on board the Victory during a storm and must have strayed
from a great distance” (11); while Morris’ ‘‘British Birds’ (135) records
one shot in Fifeshire, Scotland, December 31, 1825.

It would seem therefore on the foregoing evidence, and aside entirely
from great extremes, that all of Ontario was within the passenger pigeon’s

1This quotation having the word “river” with a small “r” might lead to the
supposition that the region of the Severn river was meant but it is evident from the
text that it refers to the settlement at the mouth of the Severn usually known as
Fort Severn. All through Forster’s notes he calls this settlement “Severn River,”
and the note on the passenger pigeon is headed “Severn River, No. 63. Wood-pigeon,”
so that it seems safe to suppose that the small “r’” in the text that follows is a
typographical error.

2“Severn” here being Fort Severn at the mouth of the river, since Severn
House on Severn Lake to the southwest, was not built until much later, according to
information from the Geographic Board of Canada.

NESTING COLONIES 20

range. It probably bred all over the province in the well forested areas,
less commonly and more irregularly toward the north; and occurred
irregularly to the limit of trees which coincides fairly closely with the
Ontario shores of Hudson Bay.

NESTING COLONIES

In the history of any species of bird, nesting records are always the
most important, and this aspect was therefore stressed in our inquiries.
But when one realizes the great length of Ectopistes’ sojourn in America
it is evident that the information we have assembled in this way is
merely a record of its declining years—for were they not reported as
being ‘“‘much diminished” about 1650, “‘the English taking them with
nets’’ (98). :

It must also be borne in mind, throughout this article, how very
difficult it is to make positive statements concerning facts which are
based largely upon the memories of others. Our memories play us strange
tricks and nothing is more difficult than to remember exactly how and
when a particular event took place. The desire for accuracy seems to
have nothing to do with it. Dates, particularly, are hard to keep in
mind unless connected with some important event in our own lives, and
numbers nearly always have a tendency to grow rather than decrease
in retrospect. So in the following tables dates can be, in almost every
instance, merely approximate and many statements must be accepted
with their perspective of, at the minimum, thirty years. I sincerely hope
that no one who has in any way contributed to the information in this
treatise, will take offense at these remarks. It is simply that the author
does not want, in a work which purports to be scientific, to appear to
make statements which might be challenged.

There are in Ontario fifty-five counties and districts; there are records
of passenger pigeons occurring in fifty-three, and nesting in forty-five.
These nesting records are more numerous in southwestern Ontario, and
of course the question arises as to whether this was actually the case or
whether it is merely that information is lacking from the eastern counties
and northern districts, due to their smaller population. Possibly at one
time wild pigeons nested in equal abundance all over the province south
of a line from Ottawa to the French River, but as civilization drove them
gradually westward they no doubt modified their migrations to suit
changing conditions. Migration will be discussed more fully under its
own heading and it will suffice to say here that towards the end of the
last century one of the chief entrances to Ontario was by way of the
Niagara peninsula. This with the close proximity of Michigan, their
last great stronghold in the east, and also the fact of abundant food

26 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

supply, probably accounts for the concentration of breeding birds in
the southwest.

Table 1 (p. 27) contains records of all the nesting sites which it has
been possible to secure. Records of large roosts are included since

COUNTIES

Fort Sevean

Essex
KENT
ELGIN
NORFOLK
HALOIMAND
WELLANO
LAMBTON
Mi DDLESEx
Oxroro
BRANT
WENT WORTH
LINCOLN
HURON
PERTH
WATERLOO
WELLINGTON
HALTON
Peer
YORK
ONTARIO
DURHAM

OBA US UN —

Fort Georct

NORTHUMBERLAND
PRINCE EDWARO
BRUCE
GREY
DUFFERIN
Simcoe
ViCTORIA
PETERBOROUGH
HASTINGS
LENNOX AND ADDINGTON
FRONTENAC
Leeos
GRENVILLE
DUNDAS
STORMONT
GLENGARRY
MUSKOKA
HALIBURTON
PARRY SOUND
= RENFREW
~ LANARK
SP USEBEN TSM) ike CARLTON
Russeu
PRESCOTT

wit S '€.O NS) i WN

Map 2—Showing nesting records of passenger pigeon in Ontario. The large dots
indicate localities where nesting took place. The areas marked with small
dots are those throughout which nesting was known to occur.

they were often so much a part of a nesting colony, even though a con-
siderable distance away—a sort of commuting suburb—making their
proper place seem under this section. Here also are placed ‘“‘rookeries,”’
the significance of the word not having been given by the informant; that

(Continued after Table 1 on page 42)

NESTING COLONIES

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42 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

is, it was not stated whether a ‘‘rookery”’ was a place where the birds
nested or was merely a roosting site. But since it must have been either
one or the other, their place seemed here rather than under a separate
heading. Other records where breeding can only be surmised will be
found under the heading of Occurrence.

The remarks referring to the size of the colonies are in practically
every case quoted directly from the source of information which is, unless
otherwise stated, replies to a questionnaire, or a letter.

Many records are very vague, some having no date, others giving
the locality very indefinitely, but they all contribute to the evidence of
former prevalence of the species.

Although many items in this table might be discussed at some length,
it has seemed inadvisable to do so. Comment is therefore confined to
the general aspects of nesting colonies, and a few descriptions of individ-
ual sites are given by way of illustration.

Size of Colonies

When we read such accounts of Ectopistes migratorius as Audubon (9)
and Wilson (191) give, we are inclined to feel that if they are not ex-
aggerated, at least such numbers never existed elsewhere or at a later
date. The estimate of actual numbers is very difficult and the comparison
of areas covered by nesting colonies or roosts is perhaps all that it is wise
to attempt now.

Audubon describes a “place of nightly rendezvous’’ which he saw
about 1813—“'I rode through it upward of forty miles, and, crossing it
at different parts, found its average breadth to be rather more than
three miles.’’ This gives roughly an area of one hundred and twenty
square miles. Wilson tells of a nesting place of about the same size also
in Kentucky. In Ontario, in Ashfield township, Huron county, there
was, about 1870, a nesting colony which covered an area eleven by
thirteen miles, or roughly one hundred and forty-three square miles;
and about the same time in Elgin county pigeons nested about a great
huckleberry marsh for a radius of ten miles. At an earlier date, 1846 or
1847, there was a great nesting in Oxford county which was ten miles
square; while still earlier, about 1830, Stickland (166) says:

“IT once accompanied the Doctor [Dr. Dunlop] on an exploring expedi-
tion through the tract [Huron]. We encamped close to a breeding-place
of these birds, when we were kept awake all night by the noise they
made. ...

‘“Towards morning, the sound of their departure to their feeding-
grounds resembled thunder. For nearly two hours there was one
incessant roar, as flock after flock took its departure eastward. The

NESTING. COLONIES 43

ground under the trees was whitened with their excrement, and strewn
with broken branches of trees.”’

I realize that here are compared, in one instance, nesting colonies
with a roost, but when a few facts are taken into consideration the
comparison does not seem unfair. From Audubon’s text it would seem
that the place he describes was a roost used at a time other than during
the breeding season and would therefore in all probability contain
recruits from more than one nesting colony; nor does he anywhere else
mention a breeding colony which was larger than this roost. In telling
of the arrival of birds he says they came from sundown to midnight, a
period of probably about five hours, or perhaps less. The birds from
the Huron Tract colony of Strickland’s description took two hours to
leave in the morning and this might have been only half the colony,
either males or females. See section on “Daily Flights.’’ It would thus
seem that some of our Ontario nestings were quite comparable in size
with those of an earlier date farther south.

Decline in Size

It is difficult to trace the decline in size of breeding colonies, for a
man’s estimate of size or numbers is always relative to his own knowledge;
and the fact that so few references have definite dates makes it still more
complicated. For instance, someone who saw what he considered a very
large colony in 1878 might have thought it fairly small had he seen larger
ones in 1870. That there was a general decline in size seems apparent
from the information received. Many men now living say that the
flocks and colonies that they have seen were smaller than those reported
by their fathers—and the fact that the marketing of pigeons was not
considered a profitable business in Ontario for many years prior to their
disappearance substantiates the theory.

Daies for Ontario Nestings

Dates in the table seem to show that there were very few nestings
of any importance in the settled districts of Ontario after 1875, although
pigeons still nested in large numbers in Parry Sound District in 1878-79
and were still ‘“‘extraordinarily abundant” in northern Michigan at this
time; the last nestings of any importance in the latter region being in
1880 and 1881 (15c). There is only one large nesting in Ontario which
may have been contemporaneous with these as far as we know—that
is one in Dufferin county, Amaranth township, the date for which was
given in 1929 as “forty-five years ago,’’ this being perhaps a rough
estimate.

44 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

The majority of dates for nestings in Ontario are for the years between
1860 and 1875, and of course the question arises—were these unusual
pigeon years or is it merely that there are very few men living to-day
whose memories go back farther than this? The latter assumption
seems the more probable since it will be shown in the section on ‘‘Variation
in Numbers,”’ that ‘“‘pigeon years’’ were due more to local abundance
than to actual fluctuation in numbers of the species as a whole. After
1875 the birds were not only decreasing rapidly but were also being
driven to nest farther from the settled parts of the country.

Disiribution of Nesiing Pigeons

After reading many old accounts of passenger pigeons it seemed
apparent that some writers thought that each vast flock they saw con-
tained all the pigeons in America and that there would therefore be only
one great nesting in the country each season. There is an obvious way
of disproving this, which is by tracing nestings of a certain date through
different localities. Take for instance the year 1869; in this year ‘‘the
birds were in Canada, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin all at the same
time’ (131f), and this is not mere surmise, for Mr. Osborn, whose letter
is quoted, was a professional ‘‘pigeoner’”’ having information based on
commercial facts; then taking this same year in Ontario we find that
nestings took place in Bruce, Grey and Huron, Elgin and Victoria
counties—and no doubt in other localities from which nestings were
reported for “‘about 1870.”

In 1870 there was an enormous nesting in Potter and McKean
counties in Pennsylvania, this site being one and a half to two miles
wide and about forty miles long (72a); while in Ontario they nested
plentifully in Grey, Huron (in three or more places) and Welland counties.
Again in 1878, the year of great nesting at Petosky, Michigan, described
by Mershon (131) and Barrows (15), colonies were formed at two other
localities in Michigan and this same year they are said to have been
breeding commonly in Parry Sound District near Dunchurch. So it
seems that the birds were quite generally distributed, and not only,
as Alexander Wilson says (191b), did ‘‘stragglers from these immense
armies settle in almost every part of the country,” but great nestings
took place simultaneously in comparatively close proximity.

Distribution of Nesting Colonies in Ontario

From an examination of the maps it is apparent that the nesting
colonies of which we have records were largely concentrated in a semi-
circle from the Bruce Peninsula through the Toronto region to the
Niagara district.

NESTING COLONIES 45

The concentration in the Bruce Peninsula is perhaps easily explained.
Here, apparently, physical conditions were ideal. Even to-day the
country is well wooded with beech so that in the pigeons’ time it must
have been magnificently so. This in conjunction with much swamp land
gave the birds their two most sought-after commodities—mast and mud.
This latter idiosyncrasy will be discussed more fully in the section
covering food.

In Simcoe county, according to Mr. John Townson, there was form-
erly a well known beechwood ridge between Barrie and Orillia where
pigeons nested plentifully, and to which his father went on pigeon
hunting expeditions.

North York also was a suitable nesting locality with large pine areas
bordered to the south with oak on the old “Oak Ridges,’’ while the
Holland marsh region was as well a favourite with the birds. In the
immediate vicinity of Toronto, none of the colonies was very large and
it would seem that the number of small ones recorded is due to the
greater population of the district, which naturally contains more people
who remember the pigeons. It is also a question as to whether there
was actual concentration of nesting colonies in the Niagara Peninsula,
or whether it is simply that Niagara, being an old settlement with well
populated outlying districts, produced more information per square mile
than more thinly peopled regions. I think in this case both facts may
be true for evidently the Welland swamps were attractive roosting and
feeding grounds, and were conjoined with favourable hardwood tracts,
containing much beech.

Northern nesting records will be discussed more fully under details
of Ontario distribution.

Choice of Nesting Stites

Judging from information obtained from questionnaires, and from
the literature any species of tree of suitable size was used in a suitable
locality. The locality was perhaps determined by food supply and the
trees themselves were probably of secondary consideration. A preference
for beech mast would lead to an apparent preference for beech trees as
building sites, but judging from the great variety of trees in which
pigeons’ nests were found the seeming preference was really more a
matter of convenience.

It has been suggested that the tendency to nest in swamps and
scrubby growth on rocky country was a late phase, a retreat to the only
available land left to the birds, land unsuitable for cultivation or timber
cutting. This may have been the case to a certain extent, as such situa-
tions would undoubtedly be the last to be cleared, but even in the days

46 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

of the immense hardwood tracts, swamps were not avoided. In the
stupendous sweep of the great nestings all types of country were engulfed.
It is said of one of the great Michigan colonies (30a): ‘“The birds began
building when the snow was twelve inches deep in the woods, although
the fields were bare at the time. So rapidly did the colony extend its
boundaries, that it soon passed literally over and around the place where
he was netting [Mr. S. S. Stevens, professional pigeoner], although, when
he began this point was several miles from the nearest nest. Nestings
usually start in deciduous woods, but during their progress the pigeons
do not skip any kind of trees they encounter. The Petosky nesting
extended 8 miles through hardwood timber, then crossed a river-bottom
wooded with arbor-vitae, and thence stretched through white pine woods
about 20 miles. For the entire distance of 28 miles every tree of any
size had more or fewer nests, and many trees were filled with them.
None were lower than about 15 feet from the ground.”

On looking at the table of nesting colonies it will be seen that, as
usual, little can be proved conclusively in this respect with regard to
Ontario. With the most aggravating regularity where swamp land is
indicated as a nesting site, or might be implied from the type of tree
used, no date is given. There is one reference however which indicates
that swamp land was sometimes chosen in preference to other sites.
Mr. Wm. Metcalf of Ravenna says that in the year 1859 they nested
in a large swamp between Allandale and Angus, the colony covering
hundreds of acres. He states: “. . .this is damp land but on every
side for miles was thick pinery and no end to bush in every direction.”

Another statement from Victoria county says that in 1869 pigeons
nested in ‘“‘dense woods, highlands and swamps.”’ This is a fairly late
date yet there seems to have been ample hardwood left for breeding
colonies so that swamps were apparently used quite as much from choice
as from force of circumstance.

Quite incidently, the way in which Mr. Metcalf’s date of 1859 was
definitely established is interesting. He remembered it as ‘'1858-9 or
thereabouts—just before 1860’’ and placed it thus because his brother
came of age that year and also because of a frost which occurred in late
May or early June which killed all the newly sprouted grain, and neces-
sitated its being resown. On writing to the Toronto Meteorological
office we received the following information: ‘“‘In 1859 May ended mild
but on June 5th temperature fell to 32.2 Fahr. This might well be the
date since grain frozen so late would likely be resown as he says. The
temperature at Allandale during such a frost would be lower than at
Toronto.”

NESTING COLONIES 47

Use of Nesting Site for Several Years

There is ample evidence that nesting sites were used for more than
one year, which seems rather surprising considering the enormous amount
of food that the large flocks must have consumed. They were not,
however, dependent on any one source of food, and should a favourite
such as beech mast fail or be exhausted, the lack could be supplied by
elm seeds, acorns or berries of various kinds; and their power of flight
enabled them to seek these out at great distances.

On consulting the table it will be seen that there are seven localities
where nesting occurred for several years—Dufferin county, Mulmur
township, 1852-55; Elgin county, Aldborough and Dunwich townships
“at its height’ from 1868-70; Grey county, Kepple township, 1853 and
1854, and also in Kepple township in 1862-65, 1869, 1870, 1872 and 1873
(although these might have been in different parts of the township in
different years); Lincoln county, Louth township, used for 4 years;
Welland county, South Pelham township, 1870-72.

Roosts also were evidently used for several years, one in Durham
county, Darlington township from 1856-66, and in Forest and Stream in
1880 (116) there is mention made of a roost in Scott county, Indiana,
which was used for seventy-five years.

Use of Nesting Sites as Roosts

It has already been pointed out that roosts, to which the birds
repaired at night, were quite often to be found near areas in which
nesting took place. Our information is too scant and vague to allow
us to form an opinion as to whether such roosts always occurred near
nesting sites, but Whitman’s (39c) experience with captive birds, would
suggest that such was their invariable rule. He says that paired pas-
senger pigeons, until the eggs were laid, commonly roosted close together,
but when the egg appeared the male at once showed a desire to roost
away from the female, going as far away from her as the cage would
allow.

When nesting had been finished the nesting sites were often used by
old and young for night roosting, according to information obtained
from our enquiries.

General Descriptions

Much has been written describing the great nesting colonies in the
works of Wilson (191), Audubon (9), Mershon (131) and Barrows (15),
and even in Fenimore Cooper’s ‘‘The Pioneers’’ (48), but it seems

48 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

appropriate to quote here from one or two Ontario accounts, although
it will be in some respects mere repetition.

Mr. Geo. A. Phillips of Welland writes: ‘In South Pelham between
the Thorold town line and 1% miles west to the Mt. Vernon road there
was a block of over four hundred acres of solid bush made up of pine,
white oak, beech, hard and soft maple with ash, elm and basswood, on
level land. Here I saw a great many nests. One did not have to hunt
far for them but just keep glancing up in the tree tops and see them by
the dozens. Most of them were built low down—from eight to twelve
feet would be the predominating height though some others were 25 or 30
feet high. . . .Still west of this block of timber was a larger tract of
wood containing perhaps a thousand acres, and on which pine, chestnut,
white oak and beech predominated. This section was known as a
“Bob Town” and a small part of it still goes by the same name, though
the greater part of it is now called Chantler. In this locality there were
countless numbers of nests most of them built low down as before
mentioned. The pigeons generally arrived in the early part of May,
though they are said to have appeared some years in early April. They
feasted on the beech nuts, acorns and chestnuts, scratching the leaves
off, and there would be immense numbers of birds which, when suddenly
alarmed would rise with a roar like a passing train. Then along towards
sunset they would flock south to the great huckleberry marsh about
four miles distant, to roost over night in the tamaracks, and return each
morning to their favourite feeding grounds.”

Mr. N. Pearson of Aurora says: “‘In a neighbourhood five or six
miles east of Yonge Street straight from Mulock’s Corners is a place
called Pine Orchard [York county] properly called as there is, or was, a
grove of pines of from ten to an hundred feet high with close branches
and very dense, suitable in every way for nest building and the natural
instinct of the pigeons preempted this place for a Rookery and to say
that there were millions of nests there would be mere assertion. But no
matter how many there were the facts would not account for the myriads
of birds found in the country about... .

“In the season Pine Orchard was inundated with people from the
country about. Waggon loads of Farmers with their sons from miles
about came during the daytime and at night with lanterns and torches
and slaughtered with wholesale vigor. Caught the old birds and wrung
their necks and carried off the squabs in bags by the waggon load.”’

Colonies of pigeons in Elgin county according to Mr. W. A. Edwards
of Wardsville were “‘‘so large that they and their offspring like a storm
cloud sometimes shut out the sunshine.”

THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO 49

NESTING HABITS

The Nest

The type of construction of passenger pigeons’ nests is already well
known—a shallow platform of small twigs, resembling that of the mourn-
ing dove. Many nests were built in one tree, often so many that branches
broke with the increasing weight of the squabs. They were usually
placed near the trunk—the logical position for such a frail nest—and in
uncrowded localities, chiefly in the lower branches.

Number of Eggs

The question of the number of eggs laid by this species has been dis-
cussed for many years, and still there is no agreement. In the mass of
information which we have received there is nothing which could be
quoted with absolute authority, although the majority of answers stated
that two eggs was the usual number. Of sixty-eight replies to this
section of the questionnaire thirty-nine said two eggs, ten said one, and
nineteen said two or more. Mr. John Difenderfer of Three Rivers,
Michigan, states in his very full and intelligent response to our questions
that two was the usual number and that when more than this were in
one nest it was due to more than one female laying there. This suggestion
is supported by Barrows (15a): ‘‘Nevertheless, most authorities believe
that but one egg was laid by each bird, the cases in which two eggs were
found in a nest being explained on the supposition that two females
used the same nest.’’ It is further strengthened by the statement of
Forbush (72b) that a communal spirit was shown amongst these birds
in the feeding of a deserted squab by several females. To illustrate this
he quotes an instance of a man who shot, one after another, six females
which came to feed one squab.

Incubation

There has been considerable discussion as to the time required to
hatch the eggs. Whitman says (39b): ‘‘The shortest incubation period
that I have known anything about [in various species of pigeons] is that
of the wild passenger-pigeon, which is only 12% davs.’’ But it has been
variously given (Forbush, 72; Barrows, 15a; Macoun, 118) ranging from
thirteen to twenty-four days. The period was very likely influenced by
weather conditions which would vary with the birds’ irregular spring
arrival. In our reports the estimate is from two to three weeks with
the majority in favour of the former period. Again there is divergence
of opinion with regard to the period spent by the young in the nest after
hatching, but it seems fairly certain that it must have been about two
weeks.

50 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Brooding

The duties of brooding and feeding the young were evidently shared
by the male and female, apparently with great regularity; this being
proved by the daily flights to the feeding grounds when at certain hours
a flock would consist entirely of females while at other hours it would
contain male birds only. This practice is in accordance with the habits
of mourning doves and other species of pigeons. (See section on Daily
Flights).

Number of Broods

There is evidence of great variability as to the number of broods each
season. Apparently in some seasons and certain localities only one was
raised, while in others, evidence points to more than one, the number no
doubt being governed by the weather, the food supply and the subsequent
condition of the birds. In describing such variability in other species,
Elton (63c) says: ‘“‘. . . but there are a great many cases known in
which the weather affects mating or breeding, or in which climate or
food supply vary the number of young produced in a brood, or the
number of broods born in a year. For instance, the short-eared ow!
(Asio flammeus flammeus) may have twice as many young in a brood
and twice as many broods as usual, during a vole plague, when its food
is extremely plentiful. But these variations in the reproductive capacity
are small compared to the limits which are imposed by the constitution
of the animals.”’

We do not know definitely how many eggs these pigeons were capable
of laying in a wild state. Some in a captive flock of Mr. David Whit-
taker’s, of Milwaukee, laid seven and eight in a season, but this was
evidently abnormal and the average was three or four (56). As Barrows
(15a) points out, the best proof that more than one brood was raised
lies in the fact of large nestings lasting for so many weeks that the period
must have covered more than one brood, and at least two.

In this connection Whitman (39a) made an interesting observation
concerning his captives. He said that his birds, having reared one squab
and being ready to lay a second egg, showed the greatest desire to build
another nest in a different site. They would try ceaselessly to get out
of the cage. To quote: “It is remarkable how strong is the instinct
to place the new nest in a new locality.’’ (Italics are Whitman’s.) He
says the same instinct is present in other species of pigeons and thinks
that it is based on the desire for a clean nest. If this was a fixed habit
in free birds and the new site was in an entirely new region, and not just
on the outskirts of the old colony, it would account for some of the

OCCURRENCE 5]

irregularity of spring appearance. Late arrivals might quite probably
have already nested elsewhere. Indeed Richardson (168) says: ‘‘The
Pigeons came to the breeding place [in Kentucky, as described by Wilson]
on the 10th of April, and left it with their young before the 25th of May.
It is after this period that they resort to the fur-countries* to breed;
and it is probable that several broods are raised in a season at different
places.”’ This habit might also account for the fact that a nesting site
grew in size during the season. New nests might be added by new
arrivals from other regions, and new nests might be built on the outskirts
of the colony by those birds that had already nested there.

In late years molestation was an undoubted cause of desertion of
nestings after the raising of one brood. But under normal conditions
it was probably a matter of choice whether a colony was abandoned and
a new site chosen for a second brood.

OCCURRENCE
Discussion of Occurrence

Records of occurrence (Table 2) were taken very largely from books of
travel, which accounts for their brief and casual nature. They are with
few exceptions merely notes made by men passing through the country,
and in most cases by writers whose primary interest was by no means
ornithology. Because of this the references are usually brief and often
of little definite scientific value in that they contain few particulars such
as exact date, or exact locality.

One record, that of occurrence of pigeons in the ‘‘Nipigon Country,”
has not been marked on Map 3 (p. 58) for the following reason. In the
article (126a) containing the reference this region is described: ‘‘The
Nipigon department .... lies between the 49th and 57th degrees north
latitude and is bounded: on the south, by Lake Superior, on the south-
west and west, by the north-west road from Lake Superior to the lower
end of Lake Ouinipique; on the north-west and north, by Hayes river and
part of Hudson Bay; and on the south-east by Hudson Bay.” This is an
enormous tract of land including the present Districts of Kenora, Kenora
(Patricia portion), Thunder Bay and Cochrane, arid even to-day much
of it is unexplored. Duncan Cameron, the author of the article, was a
clerk of the North West Company, and no doubt travelled widely
through the region in pursuit of his duties, but in spite of this I feel it
would not be justifiable to mark the entire tract as having been fre-
quented by wild pigeons.

3Richardson states that the fur-countries comprised “the whole country north of

the forty-eight parallel of latitude.” In Ontario this is, roughly, north of a line
from Port Arthur to Lake Abitibi.

R PIGEON IN ONTARIO

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58 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

f
| A amv MARTINS
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LAKE SUPERTOQR Y

W 1 ES. G ‘ON 'S> tain

COUNTIES

O@AUD VAGN—

Essex

KENT

ELain
NORFOLK
HALDIMAND
WELLAND
LAMBTON
MiIDOLESEx
OxFoRO
BRANT
WENTWORTH
LINCOLN
HURON
PERTH
WATERLOO
WELLINGTON
HALTON

PEEL

YORK
ONTARIO
DuRHAM
NORTHUMBERLAND
PRINCE EDWARD
BRUCE

GREY
DUFFERIN
Simcoe
VICTORIA
PETERBOROUGH
HASTINGS
LENNOX AND ADDINGTON
FRONTENAC
Leeos
GRENVILLE
DUNDAS
STORMONT
GLENGARRY
MUSKOKA
HALIBURTON
PARRY SOUND
RENFREW
LANARK
CARLTON
Russet
PRescoTT

|
i

Map 3—Showing localities and areas where passenger pigeons occurred but are not
definitely known to have nested. The large dots indicate definite localities
where the birds are reported to have occurred. Smaller dotted areas show
regions throughout which they occurred.

THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO 59

DISCUSSION OF ONTARIO DISTRIBUTION

From an examination of the maps showing nesting and occurrence it
would appear that the majority of nesting records are in the south of the
province, and the occurrence records are towards the north. The supposi-
tion from this is that pigeons confined their nesting to southern Ontario
and appeared only as late summer visitants in the northern regions, but
that such was not the case will be shown in the discussion which follows.
It seems more probable that, as already indicated with regard to the
apparent local concentration of nesting in southern Ontario, the scarcity
of nesting records from the north is due more to a lack of observers than
to a scarcity of pigeons. There are many facts which prove the possi-
bility of common occurrence and nesting of pigeons in the northern area.
We know from an article of Fleming’s (67) that the species nested
throughout the Parry Sound District. This carries nesting above the
Transition Zone into the Canadian Zone, and natural conditions which
prevail in Parry Sound continue westward to the east shore of Lake
Superior and are then found again westward of the Lake in south Thunder
Bay and through Rainy River and Kenora to Lake Winnipeg. We know
from Atkinson (8) that pigeons bred in this western Lake of the Woods
region, and there seems no reason to doubt. that they did so between
this and Parry Sound in the section designated. The number of summer
occurrence records from Algoma would substantiate such a supposition,
for it seems probable that passenger pigeons completed their physiological
development in one season and in consequence there would not be flocks
of immature birds to wander freely and widely the next year, making
a large, erratic summer population where no breeding had taken place,
as there are in some species; and even though they were wanderers after
the breeding season was over there seems no reason for more southern
nesting birds to travel so far north.

There are two records of pigeons flying into this region in spring;
one is from a questionnaire from Manitoulin Island, stating that they
used to fly north over the Island in June, evidently going beyond it to
nest; while Borron says (27b), as quoted in the table, that birds flew into
the region north and east of Lake Superior, although he failed to find
their nests.

Natural conditions along the shore of Lake Superior lying within
Thunder Bay district are more northerly in character than to the east
and west, the northward curve of the shore and the greater altitude being
the causes, and yet there is a record of pigeons being common and breed-
ing until about 1880 at Nipigon, and of them being seen on Slate Island
in early May (89b). We know, too, from correspondents that they

60 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

occurred in thousands in the region of Lakes Kenogamissi and Matta-
gami, Sudbury District, and nested at Gogama to the southwest of these
lakes; were destructive to crops at Liskeard, Timiskaming District, and
nested in the region east of Lake Timiskaming in Quebec. This last
record is from an account of wild pigeons sent by Monsieur Gauthier,
Mayor of Taschereau, Quebec. In view of these facts it seems justifiable
to say that all of Ontario south of the height of land dividing the Hudson
Bay drainage system from that of the Great Lakes was included in the
breeding range of the passenger pigeon.

North of the height of land, well authenticated records tell of pigeons
occurring and breeding. Conditions in the clay belt would be favourable
to them, and although so much farther north than the region just dis-
cussed, it is well known that climatic conditions tend to ameliorate some-
what in a northward direction due to the influence of the coastal plain.
It is evident from the general distribution of Ectopistes in America that
this region lies within its range. There are various records of occurrence
both east and west of Ontario that follow the general northwest and
southeast slope of the province. In addition to records already given
in the earlier part of this article Lemoine says (112) pigeons were common
in the province of Quebec, indeed he says: ‘‘The northern mountain
ranges were infested with them,” and he records four from the Lake St.
John region in 1889. West of Ontario Bell (20) saw them on the upper
Nelson river in September, 1878.

There are few definite records from this region of Ontario, but what
there are, are significant. Nesting records are: three from Moose
Factory, one from the Abitibi river, and one from the Mattagami, and
added to these a record from a closely adjoining part of Quebec, the east
end of Lake Abitibi. Occurrence records are from Moose Factory, the
Albany, at Martin’s Falls, the Severn and the region between these two
rivers. Here again, I think it is significant that six out of eleven North-
ern Ontario records are from Moose, the largest centre of civilization
in the region.

The record for the section north of the Albany is possibly of little
scientific value, but is included for its interest. Mr. Difenderfer, whose
report it is, gave a very intelligent account of pigeons in Michigan and
also the facts presented in the table. He said he was “‘on a trip’’ when
he saw the birds as stated. I wrote to him for confirmatory details, but
could get no reply.

There are several facts worth noting concerning the breeding records
from the Abitibi and Mattagami rivers. The information was supplied
by Mr. Joe Moore, a former mail carrier between the Abitibi Post and
Moose Factory, whose reliability is vouched for not only by the general

DISCUSSION OF ONTARIO DISTRIBUTION 61

tone of his information, but also by Mr. La Prairie of Canadian Industries
Limited, at Timmins. Mr. Moore says that the birds nested along the
Abitibi Canyon and farther to the north, and at Smoky Falls on the
Mattagami, in large numbers and for several years (see Table 1).

According to a Forestry Department (97) map of the region these
records are just within the northern edge of the clay belt, the Abitibi
nesting area stretching some miles farther north, and both localities are
apparently quite well wooded with conifers and mixed hardwood; the
ridges mentioned by Mr. Moore being, in 1923 when the map was made,
still partly covered with “‘virgin forest’. (Mr. Moore says the nestings
extended below the Abitibi Canyon for about sixteen miles to ‘‘Altar
Falls’’. No such place has been found on any map, but the Forestry
map shows at about this distance from the Canyon “‘Otter Rapids’’,
which may be the same. ‘“‘Altar’’ and “‘Otter’’ are not unlike when
carelessly pronounced.)

It might also be noted that these two nestings are immediately within
the northern limits of the white elm, as is the nesting record for the region
at the east end of Lake Abitibi in Quebec. This is perhaps significant
in view of the fact that the seeds of the elm were frequently eaten by
pigeons.

At Moose Factory, the Forestry map shows an isolated patch of
coniferous forest, where no doubt the birds nested.

The breeding records are very brief and to augment them Hutchin’s
MSS, ‘Observations on Hudson’s Bay, 1782,’’ as given in Thompson’s
Birds of Manitoba (95) and (172), is quoted at length: ‘‘The first species
I shall take notice of is one I received at Severn [see footnote 2, page 00]
in the year 1771, and, having sent it home preserved to Mr. Pennant,
he informed me that it was the migratoria species. They are very
numerous inland and visit our settlement to the southward in summer.
They are plenty about Moose Fort and inland, where they breed, choosing
an arboreous situation. The gentlemen number them amongst the many
delicacies Hudson’s Bay affords our tables. ’Tis a hardy bird, continuing
with them till December. In summer :their food is berries, and when
these are covered with snow they eat the juniper buds. They lay two
eggs and are gregarious. . . .About twenty years ago these pigeons
migrated up as high as York Fort, but continued only two days.”’

Throughout practically the whole great region under discussion there
should have been no problem of food supply. The majority of the region
lies beyond the northern limits of beech, oak and maple, the pigeons’
favourites in the south, but there would be other bud and seed producing
species, many of which extend to James Bay. Amongst them are the
white elm already mentioned, canoe birch, spruce and the ubiquitous

62 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

pin cherry (Prunus pennsylvanicus). The last named species was evi-
dently eaten by Ectopistes since it is called pigeon cherry (see page 101).

Even if these various trees were more or less sporadic in their dis-
tribution, there would be great quantities of different kinds of berries
to supplement them. According to all travellers’ reports gooseberries,
currants, blueberries of several kinds, cranberries and crowberries
(Empetrum nigrum) are immensely plentiful, each in its season, through-
out Northern Ontario.

All things considered then—definite records of breeding and occur-
rence, suitability of habitat, abundance of food and wide ranging tend-
ency of passenger pigeons—it seems safe to assume that they nested in
many localities in northern Ontario, north to Moose Factory and occurred
widely throughout the region, irregularly in the most northerly parts.

PLACE NAMES

Another way of increasing information on the distribution of the
species is by noting places—lakes, rivers, etc., bearing the name Pigeon,
or its Indian equivalent. There are no doubt many small lakes and
rivers with this name which are not indicated on any map, but several
have been listed and a few are of considerable interest.

The one of most interest to Toronto is that of one of its suburbs,
‘“Mimico,’’ which is from an Indian word meaning a place where pigeons
congregate.

Omeme is also of Indian origin, the Pottawattomie for pigeon being
O-me-me-wog, Chippewa and Cree for pigeon being Omimi. A list of
Ontario names follows:

Mimico, York county.

Omemee, Victoria county south, on Pigeon river.

Omemea island, Parry Sound District.

Pigeon bay, Essex county.

Pigeon island, west end of the Thousand Islands.

Pigeon lake, Haliburton county, west of Gull lake.

Pigeon lake, Peterborough county, 10 miles north of Peterborough.

Pigeon lake, Sudbury District.

Pigeon lake, Thunder Bay District, on the Ombabika river.

Pigeon rapid, Cochrane District, Mattagami river north of Lake

Kenogamissee.

Pigeon river, Victoria county, etc., flowing into Pigeon lake, Peter-

borough county.

There are a few other places with this name scattered across Canada,
but those particularly pertinent to this article are three situated in

MIGRATION FLIGHTS 63

Manitoba. They are Pigeon lake, Pigeon point and Pigeon river on the
west shore of Lake Winnipeg north of latitude 52° and might almost be
said to constitute another northern occurrence record.

MIGRATION FLIGHTS

‘They clouded the sun in their flight and shadow after shadow passed
on the fields,’’ said one of our correspondents.

The great migration flights of the passenger pigeon were undoubtedly
its chief claim to fame. They were spectacular to a degree. In the
early days when they came men dropped their work in field or woods,
women left their indoor tasks and all stood agaze while the mighty armies
rushed thundering overhead; and even later when our cities were growing
up and we were becoming more civilized, flights of pigeons were con-
sidered a great event. One of our correspondents says they came next
in excitement to the Fenian Raids!

Much has been written of these great migrations, more than of any
other aspect of the species. Wilson (191) and Audubon (9) devote pages
to descriptions of the amazing flights they witnessed in the south and
these are so well known that they are not quoted here. There are given
instead one or two excerpts from other sources, which will be of more
local interest.

Two of the best descriptions of flights to be found in the early litera-
ture relating to Canada have already been given—those of Weld (185)
and King (101)—but there are still others. Strickland (166) says:

“Persons unacquainted with the country and the gregarious habits
of this lovely bird are apt to doubt the accounts they have heard or
read respecting their vast numbers; since my return to England I have
repeatedly been questioned upon the subject. In answer to these
queries, I can only say that, in some parts of the province, early in the
spring and directly after wheat-harvest, their numbers are incredible.
Some days they commence flying as soon as it is light in the morning,
and continue, flock after flock, till sun-down. To calculate the sum
total of birds passing even on one day, appears to be impossible. I think
the greatest masses fly near the shores of the great Canadian lakes, and
sometimes so low, that they may be easily killed with a horse pistol,
or even knocked down with a long pole.”’

Mr. John Townson’s recollections of the passenger pigeon which is
quoted in full in the appendix contains the following account of a flight:
“One morning about the middle of April in. . . 1876 I happened to be
on Toronto Island near the Eastern Channel, when I noticed what I
supposed to be an immense black cloud over the lake to the southeast
moving towards Scarboro’ Heights, but as there was a moderate north

64 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

wind blowing I could not figure out how the cloud was moving against
the wind. However, I did not have long to wait, as the moving mass
changed its course and swung to the westward, and in a few minutes the
northern edge of the cloud was directly overhead and I found myself
gazing at an innumerable flock of wild pigeons.

‘The birds were flying at a height, as near as I could judge, of prob-
ably 500 feet, but as the visibility was good there was no doubt about
what they were as their long tails were clearly discernible. I took out
my watch and that flock kept passing over my head for fourteen minutes.
I think if my father had been there (reluctant as he was to use the word
millions) he would have broken his rule that time. I could plainly hear
the rushing sound made by the wings until the birds passed out of sight.”’

Mr. Pearson of Aurora says: “‘I have seen them in flight no doubt
in the millions by standing on the streets in the little hamlet of what
was then Mitchell’s Corners, now the town of Aurora, and looking south
towards the Oak Ridges a mile and a half away a line of birds creeping
up over the tree tops with apparently no end, and looking north for
three or four miles to the Holland Landing a continuous band of them
twenty or thirty feet wide and continuing for hours every day, or say
for two or three hours. This seems incredible, but so it was.”

There are many such accounts of the great numbers of these huge
migrations but unfortunately few have written of the aesthetic side of
such a spectacle. The wild pigeon was a very handsome bird, graceful
in form and harmonious in colouring; indeed the Pottawattomie chief
Simon Pokagon said that “‘if the Great Spirit in His wisdom could have
created a more elegant bird in plumage, form and movement, He never
did.’’ Such a bird in full flight must have been a magnificent sight, for
even our common domestic pigeons can give quite thrilling aerial displays.

It is said of the wild pigeon (66): ‘“‘When flying in flocks of hundreds
or thousands you would think sometimes they were coming straight at
you when all at once when within thirty or forty feet, they would make
a quick turn to the right or left or upward, a swift and most graceful
turn, and away in another direction. It would seem, sometimes, as if
they just tried to see how near they could come and get away successfully.
The flocks often seemed to fly hither and thither over the forests for the
very joy of flight. When they flew to the east of you so that the sun
shone on them there was a perfect riot of colour as they passed. The
male birds were much finer looking and more showy than the females,
and the sheen of their plumage in the evening sun was such that no words
could be found to describe nor a painter to paint it. The flash of brilliant
colour and the wonderful whirr of their wings in flight as they passed
within a few yards can never be forgotten.”

(Continued after Table 3 on page 80)

MIGRATION FLIGHTS

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80 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Even though Chief Pokagon’s article (146) has been reprinted
practically in full in Mershon’s book (131), I feel that I may justifiably
quote from it again for its artistic worth. ‘‘I have seen them move in
one unbroken column for hours across the sky, like some great river, ever
varying in hue; and as the mighty stream sweeping on at sixty miles
an hour, reached some deep valley, it would pour its living mass headlong
down hundreds of feet, sounding as though a whirlwind was abroad in the
land. I have stood by the grandest waterfall of America and regarded
the descending torrents in wonder and astonishment, yet never have my
astonishment, wonder and admiration been so stirred as when I have
witnessed these birds drop from their course like meteors from heaven.”

Comments on Migration Flights

Ectopistes migratorius, as its name is meant to imply, was highly
migratory. Being so very gregarious its actions were controlled by food
supply to a much greater extent than in the case of most other species
of bird. Other gregarious birds such as the gannets and murres of our
coasts, or the southern penguins, have an unlimited source of food which
travels by their very ‘‘doors,’’ but the pigeons’ mast as well as other
food was stationary and had to be sought out each year, often in a new
locality.

After a superficial survey of the records of erratic arrivals and de-
partures, appearances and disappearances of these birds it would seem
that they were governed wholly by caprice and improbable that they
had any fixed routes of migration (see Table 3, p. 65). Little has been
said on this subject in the literature and therefore it was with considerable
interest that the maps used here as illustration were marked in the hope
that something definite in migration tendency might become apparent.

Spring Migration

As indicated before the data that we have on migration apply only
to the later years of Eciopistes’ existence in Canada, and it can never be
known to what extent migration routes may have been modified to suit
changing conditions. There appear to have been in the times of which
we have knowledge, three routes of entry into Ontario—one by way
of the western end of the province between Lakes Erie and Huron, one
by the Niagara Peninsula, and one around the eastern end of Lake
Ontario. On first thought it appears strange that such a notoriously
strong and swift flyer as the passenger pigeon should trouble to skirt
such lakes as Erie and Ontario which it could pass over in less than an
hour’s flight, but a closer study of the facts presents an apparently

MIGRATION FLIGHTS 81

reasonable solution. Flights that came in by the land routes were
generally low and in one or two instances it has been said that the birds
seemed tired. Probably these were flocks that were nearing the end
of a long journey and were looking as they went for a suitable place to
pitch for food, or for a prospective nesting site.

Mershon says (13la): ‘‘Now that the pigeons had come they would
‘fly’ every morning. This we knew from years of observation in the
great migration belt of Michigan. They would fly lower to-morrow
morning, and in a day or two more sweep low enough for the sixteen-
guage and the number eight shot to reach them.”’

Map 4—Showing spring flights of passenger pigeons. Arrows indicate direction of
fight.

This theory is borne out by the fact that many of the flights which
did cross the lakes directly were evidently flying high with a more distant
objective.

Spring migrations were on the whole well directed movements of
massed forces which, having once chosen a route, held to it for many
days and only showed an erratic tendency when nearing their destination.
“The immense flocks of pigeons which have been flying over various

82 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

parts of the country in an undecided way for the last week or two have
gathered in the township of Amabel, in countless numbers, and have
begun building”’ (152).

I think too that this erratic tendency grew as the birds became more
persecuted towards the end of their existence. Several instances have
been received of what appear to be unusually late spring movements
which were doubtless the result of having been driven from a selected
nesting area. This supposition is strengthened by reports from Michigan
and Pennsylvania, of nesting colonies being so persecuted that the birds
were forced to leave the district altogether, doing so in a mass flight.
J. S. Van Cleef of Poughkeepsie, New York, is quoted in Mershon (1311)
as follows: ‘“‘This flock had nested in Missouri in the month of April,
and most of the squabs were killed. . . .When the nesting was over the
entire flock went to Michigan, where they nested again, and they were
followed there by the same persons who again destroyed the squabs.
When they left Michigan they took their flight eastward, and telegrams
were sent all over that part of the country where the pigeons would be
likely to nest a third time, and as soon as they settled in the Catskills
these persons were apprised of the location and very soon appeared on
the scene.”’

Fall Migration

As compared with spring flights fall movements were much more
wandering and unorganized. Apparently after the nesting season the
birds scattered in small flocks over the country, drifting about in search
of food until the cold weather, sometimes congregating in fairly large
numbers in favourable localities. Even though this had not been
definitely stated in the information we have it would be obvious from
the Fall Migration map which shows few definite flight records but several
closely dotted areas throughout which fall movements were noticed.

Although a desultory migration was the common thing in this season
there were evidently occasional large flights. The great one recorded
by Weld (185) and already quoted (page 19) was most likely one of these
and there are other instances from Bruce, Haldimand, etc. It seems
probable that they may have been connected with large roosts—that is,
in some localities roosts were formed which were used not only during
the breeding season but all through the summer and here in the fall
very large numbers of pigeons would assemble. For instance there were
great roosts in Durham county, Darlington township, where, in August
and September, there came “‘myriads’”’ of birds and from which there
appears to have been a general exodus toward the end of September.

MIGRATION FLIGHTS 83

One of our correspondents stated that this was the common tendency
where late summer flocks were not broken up by hunters.

These flights had, of course, a general southern trend, and in south-
western Ontario there seems to have been a decided western drift.
Flocks from the Niagara region which arrived from the east seemed to
leave toward the west, and in Kent county the general tendency was
also in that direction. There is however little definite information for
this season of the year and the preceding statements are largely surmise.

Map 5—Showng fall migration of passenger pigeons. Large dots indicate definite
fall flights—arrows show direction. Dotted areas are those throughout which
fall movement took place.

84 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Formation

The heading ‘‘Formation” in the table of migration flights needs some
explanation and comment. There has been considerable discussion as
to the way in which the migration flocks were arranged, some saying
that they flew in long lines thus:

Formation 1

ast 1.e., ‘‘Long lines

—+ ;
5 with a
roe narrow front.”’

Others that they flew in long lines thus:

Formation 2

+ ++
+ + +?
so + + , ;
ar pO =e oe 1.e., ‘Long lines
T+ Ta with
eas —— —— V1 a
Suarbey —+ — broad front.”’
+ + ame
1

the number of these lines varying from one to several in a flight, and
in the case of Formation 2, being sometimes in irregular layers one above
the other. They varied in length, some being so long that both ends
disappeared beyond the horizon, and they also varied in width, from a
few feet to many yards.

That the usual form of flight was in long lines is very evident, from .
many accounts of the species, but it has been difficult in most cases to
discover which formation these lines took. From definite records in our
questionnaires where it was obvious which was meant, eight correspond-
ents say they flew in Formation 1, and seven say they flew in Formation 2.
It would seem therefore that both were used, some saying that No. 1 was
used for short distances only, No. 2 being the common formation, in
layers, for the great spring flights. ,

This latter was the case as observed by Dr. Bethune of Toronto and
Dr. Henry Howitt of Guelph. The former says (22a): “. . . flock after

MIGRATION FLIGHTS 85

flock of pigeons crossed from the south at Toronto. All of the flocks
were fairly long, from east to west, and some of them reached farther
each way than one could see, but all were of short dimensions from
north to south. I could not, of course, give the exact depth of these
flocks, but it would be something like 100 yards or less.’’ While the
latter states (93): ‘“‘With the exception of two or three years from 1852
until the pigeons disappeared completely in our district, I spent hours,
more than once most of the day, observing the April flights. And every
year of my observations I paid particular attention to the altitude,
direction, contour, and the strata formation of the spring flocks; also
from what quarter they came and disappeared. Invariably the flocks
which passed over my observation place first became visible in the East,
well above the distant forest horizon, like mist or haze that, on nearer
view, quickly became a flock of pigeons which, in like manner, faded
from sight in the West; altitude about a quarter of a mile, and direction,
a straight line from East to West; and all the flocks to right or left of
me did likewise.

“Every year all the spring migration flocks resembled one another
in contour very closely; all had strata formation; the small ones had only
two or three strata, the large ones, about thirty or more, according to
their size. In every case the lowest stratum was longest in every direction;
each stratum above it to the top was one or two birds shorter than the
stratum below it; hence in every direction there was a slope from top
to bottom; in every flock the front slope was the shortest, the rear one,
the longest of all, and those of the sides were considerably longer than
the front one. The space between the several strata appeared less than
a foot, and all the birds of all the strata seemed to have ee enough space
sideways to move their wings freely.

“The strata of the large flocks were always limited in number to less
than forty. The lowest stratum of all the flocks was nearly as level and
even as the surface of a lake on a calm day; so were all those above it.
According to my memory, the wings of all the birds of each flock moved
synchronously with the wings of the leader. The speed of the spring
flight was estimated by many to be a mile a minute, and in my opinion
this was not an exaggeration—always faster than all the other kinds of
flights. And of all kinds, the distance from side to side was greater than
from front to back.”’

An explanation of the two formations is given by Alexander Wilson
(19la). “A column eight or ten miles in length would appear from
Kentucky, high in air, steering across to Indiana. The leaders of this
great body would sometimes gradually vary their course until it formed
a large bend of more than a mile in diameter, those behind tracing the

86 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

exact route of their predecessors. This would continue sometimes long
after both extremities were beyond the reach of sight, so that the whole
with its glittery undulations marked a space on the face of the heavens
resembling the windings of a vast and majestic river. When this bend
became very great the birds, as if sensible of the unnecessary circuitous
course they were taking, suddenly changed their direction, so that what
was in column before, became an immense front, straightening all its
indentures, until it swept the heavens in one vast and infinitely extended
line.”’

To quote further from published authorities—Audubon (9) describes
a great flight toward the southwest in which the birds flew in ‘‘immense
legions. . . with a front reaching far beyond the Ohio on the west and
the beechwood forests directly on the east of me.”’

Chief Pokagon, in his article already quoted (146) says: ‘‘I have seen
them fly in unbroken lines from the horizon, one line succeeding another
from morning until night, moving their unbroken columns like an army
of trained soldiers pushing to the front, while detached bodies of these
birds appeared in different parts of the heavens, pressing forward in
haste like raw recruits preparing for battle. At other times I have seen
them move in one unbroken column for hours across the sky, like some
SNA MV ET its a dep

There are also records of large single flocks which varied in shape,
some being ‘‘formless masses’’, others being thus:

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE 87

These tapering masses, some of which were very large, seeming to cover
the whole sky at times, usually being preceded and followed by smaller
flocks.

The height of migration flights varied considerably. Often the birds
were so low that they had to rise to pass over trees and houses and could
be whipped down with poles from hill tops; and at the other extreme a
Michigan report says they have been seen so high in the air that they
looked like sparrows. |

When in full flight and far from their destination they apparently
flew high—the flock seen by Mr. Townson over Toronto Island being,
he said, at about five hundred feet, and other reports say that they flew
well out of gunshot.

FLIGHT

As may well be imagined the actual flight of the passenger pigeon was
exceedingly swift and graceful. It flew at a great speed which has been
estimated as reaching sixty miles an hour. Mr. Justice Latchford of
Toronto says: ‘The flight was very rapid and exceedingly graceful.
While direction was held each bird appeared a law unto itself, swaying
and twisting and veering, yet never colliding with one of its fellows.”
Professor MacClement of Queen’s University says: ‘‘The flight of the
tame pigeon is quite similar to that of the wild pigeon but the flight

of the latter looked even more graceful and dashing, partly due to their

long tails. They flew directly toward their object in long, dashing
curves.”’

Many people mention the habit of rolling or twisting in flight and
also of zig-zagging when taking to the air and of taking a second or two
to get “‘straightened away.”’

Another interesting characteristic of the birds when in full flight,
which has been mentioned by Wilson, Mershon and some of our cor-
respondents, is that of a portion of a flock making a sudden downward
plunge, as of a water-fall, the birds behind following the lead of those
gone before and dropping down at the same spot in the air, this continuing
forsome time. The explanation is variously given as due to “‘thin”’ spots
in the air or the stoop of a hawk upon the flock from above.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

With most species of birds migration is a very regular performance.
It is usually possible to tell within a few days when a certain bird will
arrive in a given locality in the spring and leave in the fall, but this was
evidently not always true of wild pigeons. In a general sense they
exhibited the customary northward in spring, southward in fall, tendency,
but within this broad movement there was considerable local variation.
That it should be so seems reasonable enough when their great numbers

8S THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

and gregarious habits are taken into account. Their local wanderings
would quite naturally be controlled by immediate food supply, abundance
of mast, for instance, in one region, causing stop-overs which would mean
variability in arrival in some other region. (See Migration Flight table,
Huron county, Ashfield township, April 10, 1876.) It is said, too, that
their movements became more irregular toward the end of their existence
when they were driven from one region to another by their persecutors.

Spring Arrival

In the discussion of migration flights it was shown that spring move-
ments were more purposeful and concentrated than the autumn south-
ward drift, and in consequence there is available a series of reliable and
authoritative dates which make definite statements possible.

A series of dates for spring arrivals is given in the accompanying table
that covers a period of one hundred years. The dates range from March
8th to June 24th with the majority in the month of April. It is perhaps
unfortunate that so many items refer to one locality, the Toronto region,
but I think there is enough other material to indicate that the Toronto
records are quite typical for southern Ontario generally.

There is also a mass of evidence of a less definite nature in the question-
naires which corroborates the variability of these dates. Statements
that pigeons arrived ‘“‘during sugar making’, ‘‘at the time of spring
sowing’, ‘“‘during potato planting’’, show a range from the middle of
March to the middle of May.

Early arrivals were evidently not unusual since there is considerable
proof of such in addition to the seven dates in the table. Several of our
correspondents have told of pigeons coming before the snow was gone,
of seeing it trampled by them in the woods, and have wondered how
the birds could subsist so early in the year before the appearance of any
plant life; and also there are references in the literature to nestings which
were begun before the snow was off the ground. ‘‘In 1865a heavy nesting
was in Canada, near Georgian bay. . . and the snow was two feet under
the nesting.’’ Mershon (13le). The Petoskey nesting of 1876 or 1877
began when snow was twelve inches deep in the woods. (Brewster, 30a).
Mr. Townson of Toronto was told that in 1854 pigeons arrived at Toronto
on February 22nd, but he considered it too unauthoritative a statement
to be given much prominence.

It is becoming steadily more apparent that weather has little to do
with spring migration of birds. The migratory species obeys an urge
from within rather than responding to an impulse from without; and
this is well illustrated by a few data concerning early arrivals of Ecto pistes.
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ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

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ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE 91

mild winters, but this is not the case. On making inquiries at the
Toronto Meteorological Office as to the temperature of the years in
which arrivals were in March, it was found that in every case but one
the winters were colder than the average. For example in 1860 pigeons
flew over Toronto on March 8th and yet that winter the temperature
had been 5° lower than the mean; again in 1875 they came on March 13th
after a decidedly cold winter, which was 9.1 below the average. In fact
in only one instance did an early arrival follow a so-called mild winter.
This was in 1858 which was said to have been mild by the correspondent
of the “Canadian Naturalist and Geologist’ (49), (see Table, 1858,
Kempenfeldt Bay), but was merely ‘‘average’”’ according to the Meteoro-
logical Office.

That these early arrivals were sometimes disastrous to the birds is
apparent. There is one record from Welland county that tells of them
coming about the first of April and being caught in a late spring storm
and freeze-up, in which many starved to death and others came in great
numbers to barn-yards for the grain scattered there.

The question of late spring arrivals has already been discussed under
nesting habits and migration flights, and the suggestion made that they
were dependent on food conditions, earlier nesting further south and,
in late years, on persecution.

These remarks apply really only to Ontario south of the Districts.
Information is too scarce from Northern Ontario for anything definite
to be stated in respect to that region. The two northern records that
we have—for Manitoulin Island and the Mattagami river—are both in
June. But two reports are quite insufficient to allow of even a tentative
statement for so large a region, although Swainson and Richardson (168)
state that: ‘This celebrated bird arrives in the fur-countries in the latter
end of May.” (See footnote, p. 51.)

Fall Departure

The autumn movement has been discussed at some length under
“Migration Flights,’’ and little need be added here. As already shown,
it was apparently quite desultory in character, the custom being for the
birds to scatter over the country when nesting was done and so drift
about until well on into the fall. This habit led people living near a
deserted nesting to state that the birds ‘‘left the country”’ in June or July
as the case might be. The time of their going was governed by food
supply, a Dufferin county record saying that early October was the usual
time of departure unless beech nuts were plentiful, in which case they
would linger until November Ist.

That, on occasion, they stayed even later than this is apparent.

9? THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Hutchins (95), as quoted before, says: “It is a hardy bird, continuing
with them | Moose Factory] until December.”’ Mr. R. B. Elgie of Toronto
remembers a flock of seventeen which he saw in a corn-field at Dixie near
Toronto on New Year’s day about 1865. This flock, he said, had been
in the neighbourhood for some time. In Pennsylvania, according to
Anderson (38): ‘“‘They would stay in the fall until the weather com-
menced to get cold, but some would stay all the year round.”

DAILY FLIGHTS
Relaiion to Brooding

Aside from migration flights, Ectopistes migratorius performed daily
flights in connection with its various activities which were very regular
in their occurrence and route. Those of greatest interest were to and
from the nesting colonies, when the flocks consisted, with regularity,
of either males or females; that is since the sexes alternated in brooding,
as has already been described, those that were not on the nests left in
large bodies for their feeding grounds at definite hours and returned with
equal regularity to relieve their mates.

Eaton (59) describes this habit at a colony in Alleghany county,
and states that the males left in the early morning returning about
11 a.m. to replace the females, which in their turn came back about 3 p.m.

Brewster (30a) says: ‘“‘Both birds incubate, the females between
2 o'clock p.m. and 9 o’clock or 10 o’clock the next morning; the males
from 9 or 10 o’clock a.m. to 2 o’clock p.m. The males feed twice each
day, namely, from daylight to about 8 o’clock a.m. and again late in
the afternoon. The females feed only during the forenoon. The change
is made with great regularity as to time, all the males being on the nests
by 10 o’clock a.m.’’ Whitman (39d) states that in all species of pigeons
with which he was acquainted the cocks incubated from about 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Mr. Ben O. Bush, a correspondent of Mershon’s, says that
if the feeding grounds were at a great distance from the nesting colony
only one change was made in twenty-four hours, males and females
having alternate days off (131 h). Some of our correspondents say that
pigeon hunters were governed by the time of movement and sex of the
flocks, as some people favoured one sex more than the other as food.

Flights for Food, Water, etc.

Nesting colonies, feeding grounds, drinking places and roosts were
often in separate localities, necessitating several cross-country flights a
day. ‘The places where they fed and those where they got water were
often miles apart. The nests were often not near either of these places.”’

DAILY FLIGHTS

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Foop 95

(Mr. D. Nelson Phillips, Laurel, Ontario.) In going to and from such
localities definite routes were used; the route towards one often being
different from the route away from it. This fact is mentioned in Strick-
land’s account (166) for Peterborough county (see Table 5), and also
Mershon (131b) says: ‘“‘The Pigeons in this particular locality have
followed the same routine as long as I have known them. They only
fly in the morning, always going in the same direction, and I can’t recall
seeing them coming back again, or flying later in the day.”’

It is said that morning flights were more scattered, while the evening
return to the nesting colony or roost was more definitely concentrated.

Foop

Pigeons as a family feed upon vegetable material—fruit, berries, seeds
and grain are the staples of their diet. An occasional variation is supplied
by worms or grubs, grasshoppers or caterpillars. Passenger pigeons
seem to have been faithful to the family tradition, keeping within the
prescribed bounds; although when we consider the number of these birds
existing in North America in the days of their great abundance we are
tempted to question how nature could possibly feed such a horde within
any limits whatever. That it was done is obvious, and the solution
must lie in the fact of the vastness of the forests and the prodigality
with which seeds and berries were produced. One of our correspondents
says: ‘‘Those grey elms, virgin forest trees, produced elm nuts [elm seeds].
When they were ripe they could be shovelled off the ground” and no |
doubt other species of trees and plants were equally fruitful.

Early References

There is considerable reference in the literature to what wild pigeons
ate, the earliest seeming to be in the ‘‘Jesuit Relations” for 1616 (176b),
where Biard says: ‘‘. . . there are a great many wild pigeons, which
come to eat raspberries in the month of July... .’’ In 1672 there are
the references already quoted from Nicolas Denys (77 a & b), in which
he tells of incredible numbers of pigeons coming to parts of eastern
Gaspé for strawberries and raspberries.

Considerably later, in the next century, Kalm (73) says: “‘The
Frenchmen shot a great number of them and gave us some, in which
we found great quantity of the seeds of the elm, which evidently demon-
strated the care of Providence in supplying them with food; for in May
the seeds of the red maple, which abounds here [between Forts Anne and
St. Frederic, Lake George region] are ripe, and drop from the trees,
and are eaten by the pigeons during that time; afterwards, the seeds of

96 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

the elm ripen, which then become their food, till other seeds ripen to
feed them.”

Another account of early food habits is this: ‘‘The Indians, before
the European settlements, used every year regularly to burn the woods,
the better to kill deer; this practice kept the woods clean, so that the
pigeons readily got acorns, which then not being devoured by hogs, were
plenty almost everywhere, and induced a return more frequently than
now...) (amy

When grain of various kinds was introduced by the colonists the
pigeons soon discovered its value as an item of diet. In 1643: ‘“‘The
immediate causes of this scarcity [of food] were the cold and wet summer

. . also the pigeons came in such flocks (above 10,000 in one flock),
that beat down, and eat up a very great quantity of all sorts of English
ordain... wee

In the ‘‘Jesuit Relation”’ of 1662-63 (176f) an unknown writer says:
‘This season they attacked the grain fields, where they made great havoc,
after stripping the woods and fields of strawberries and raspberries which
grow here everywhere under foot.’’ Peter Kalm (81), later on in the
next century, gives an annotated list of food of which a condensation
is given:

Maple seeds; elm seeds; mulberries—in Pennsylvania in June; all
grain except corn; rye—not popular; wheat—most “‘coveted’’; buck-
wheat; berries of sour gum tree in Pennsylvania (this grows also in
extreme southern Ontario); acorns; beechnuts—in Canada particularly.

This writer then describes a characteristic on which many other
authors and observers have commented—that of a liking for salt: “I
have also observed that the Pigeons have a special fondness for the kind
of soil which is much mixed with common salt; this soil serves them as
food, as a spice to blend with the food, or for its medicinal properties—
I do not know which. At the Salt springs of Onondaga, in the tribe
of the Iroquois Indians, where the soil is so strongly mixed with salt that
the ground during a severe drought becomes entirely covered with it
and as white as frost, making it impossible for plants to grow, I noticed
with astonishment, in the month of August, 1750, how covetous the
Pigeons were of this kind of soil.”’

Even earlier the ‘Jesuit Relation’ for 1656-57 (176e) tells of the
‘Journey of the Fathers of our Society . . . to the country of the Upper
Iroquois, called Onnontoeronnons”’ where “. . .in the Spring so great
numbers of Pigeons collect around these salt springs, that sometimes as
many as seven hundred are caught in the course of one morning.’’ And
in our own times ‘“The Canadian Handbook and Tourists’ Guide’’ (160a)
says of the Caledonia Springs, Prescott county, Ontario: “It is said the

Foop 97

medicinal properties of these springs were first discovered by pigeons
flocking in large quantities to them; and the well known penchant of this
bird for any salt substance led to an investigation, which resulted in the
waters being brought into notice. .. .”’

How this trait was turned to the pigeons’ detriment will be discussed
under Methods of Taking Pigeons.

Food Eaten in Ontario

The following information on the food of the pigeons in Ontario has
been compiled from the answers to the Museum questionnaires. Such
statements as the “‘popularity’’ of a certain article of food are based
on the frequency with which it was mentioned.

Food in Spring—Beechnuts—Evidence points to these having been a
great favourite and even a staple article of diet in certain localities.
In spring last year’s nuts were eaten and the fact that these had some-
times sprouted seems to have made no difference.

Acorns—That pigeons ate acorns is a too frequently mentioned fact
to be doubted, although they would seem to be a large throatful.

Chesinuts—‘‘Sometimes the spring flights brought birds with crops
containing a very small variety of sweet chestnut, said to be chinquapins
(not native in Ontario).’”’ (Mr. M. W. Althouse, Toronto.)

Buds—Young tree buds seem to have been a favourite in the spring,
and no doubt were often the only edible thing available.

Pigeon berry (Mitchella repens) partridge berry or squaw berry. Its
name alone would proclaim this an important item. It is strange that
it is mentioned as being eaten only in the spring as the berries are ripe
toward the end of September. ‘‘We had a berry, called Pigeon berry,
of which these birds used large quantities. . .’’ (E. H. Kelcey, Loring,
Parry Sound District).

Winter-green berries (Gaultheria procumbens)—These are only men-
tioned by one man, but no doubt many people called any small red berry
growing on the ground “‘pigeon berry’’ which would include this and
other species.

Squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis)—The mention of squirrel corn is
interesting because several of our correspondents and other writers have
said that pigeons ate roots, but formerly this does not seem to have been
proved conclusively. Barrows (15b) thought that when the birds were
apparently eating roots they were in reality eating worms and grubs.
However, there will be given below, under ‘“‘Roots’’, one or two bits of
evidence which seem to indicate rather definitely that these were eaten.

Roots—As a confirmation of the root eating habit the following
quotations are given. The first are from the diary of Wm. Pope (147),

98 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

which concerns western Ontario: In June and July, 1835, pigeons ‘‘were
generally on the ground seeking a particular kind of plant that chiefly
flourishes in these parts of the Forest [small swamps and low flat
lands] and the white, crisp roots of which afford them a great part of
their substance at this time of the year.’’ June 1, 1836 (?) “In low,
swampy places they find a kind of root which serves them for food—it is
of a whitish colour and is hot and has much the same flavour as horse-
radish.’’ A description which sounds very much like that of the common
crinkle-root (Dentaria diphylla).

Corroboration from a different locality, the eastern States, is as
follows: ‘‘This morning I took an excursion accompanied by ————,, who
wanted to show me the Leek or Pigeon pea, as he calls it. . . .The Pigeon
berries or Pigeon peas we could not find, until we returned to the house,
where a place was where they commonly grow; in howing up some ground
they showed me the roots by which I found them to be, probably nothing
else, than the tuberculis of a species of Glycine, resembling marrowfat
peas very much; the pigeons scratch them up at certain times of the year
and feed up on them very greedily” (150). This might have been
Amphicarpa monoica Linn., which occurs from New Brunswick to
Florida, and is variously known as ground-nut, wild bean, ground-,
trailing-, or potato-pea.

The pigeon family are not considered to be scratchers, and yet from
observation of a captive flock of passenger pigeons (Deane, 56) it was
evident that they could on occasion employ this method of seeking food.
When fed earth-worms that went down into the soil: ‘“The Pigeons are
so fond of these tidbits, they will often pick and scratch holes in their
search, large enough to almost hide themselves.’ If they were capable
of such energetic work it is more than probable that they could easily
unearth roots which grow as near the surface as those mentioned.

Weed Seeds—The eating of these is mentioned only once in our
questionnaires, but they seem a logical thing for pigeons to eat, as mourn-
ing doves do so in large quantities.

Grain—A newly sown grain field was a Mecca for pigeons. In the
old days when hand seeding was the custom the birds had ample op--
portunity to feed upon the seed before it could be harrowed in. ‘‘I have
seen a ten acre field sown with spring wheat covered with pigeons, and
I believe they took all.’’ (Col. J. P. Telford, Owen Sound.) “I have
heard it said that a man got a small bit of land cleared, and sowed two
bushels of peas and went in to dinner, and after dinner he went out to
harrow and cultivate to cover them up and there was not a pea to be
seen.”’ (John Wagur, London, Ontario.)

There is conflicting evidence as to whether they ate sprouting grain

Foop 99

or not, some saying that they did, some that they never touched it.
Since Forbush (7lc) says they ate tender shoots of various kinds, I see
no reason why they should have excluded sprouting grain. I have found
only three recorded instances, none unfortunately from Ontario, other
than questionnaire replies. Two are in Armstrong’s pamphlet (6), one
of which is of a Dan Roy who remembers that pigeons ‘‘even pulled up
the grain after it had sprouted,’ and Jesse Wilson tells of them feeding
on fall wheat fields: ‘“‘Even after the grains had sprouted, they pulled
up the blades.’’ While in a letter quoted in Mershon (131f), it says:
‘The birds were pulling wheat badly; other feed was gone.”

Summer food—As might be expected, summer diet was more varied,
different kinds of berries being most important.

Elm seeds—A favourite article of diet, judging from the number of
times they are mentioned in questionnaires. One of our correspondents,
the late Mr. F. Kay Reesor of Markham, said that these ‘‘nuts’’ were
supposed to give the birds’ flesh a strong flavour.

Maple seeds—A staple food.

Pin cherries (Prunus pennsylvanica)—These were evidently very
popular, judging from the number of people who mention them (see also
Clute, page 101). ‘‘. . . they also ate large quantities of Cherries, of
which we had three or more kinds growing wild.’”’ (E.H. Kelcey, Loring,
Parry Sound District.)

Elder berries (Sambucus spp.)—Both black and red.

Bilberries and blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), huckleberries (Gaylussacia
spp.)—These various members of the heath family were all eaten in their
season. They must have grown in very great profusion in Ontario at
one time. Mrs. Trail (181) tells of the abundance of these berries on
the ‘Rice Lake Plains,’’ and we are also told of great huckleberry marshes
in Elgin and Welland counties near which pigeons nested.

Blackberries, raspberries (Rubus spp.); currants, gooseberries; (Ribes
spp.), strawberries (Fragaria sp.)—One of our correspondents says that
all ‘‘small fruits’? were eaten, as they very evidently were. Hutchins’
MSS (95), says: “‘In summer their food is berries, and when these are
covered with snow they eat the juniper buds.”’

Buckwheat—The only grain mentioned as a summer food, although
it probably ripens no earlier than other cereals. It has also been said
that pigeons did not demolish standing grain, but ate it only from the
stook or stubble, but this seems to be a moot point. The quotation from
Winthrop (193), (page 96) suggests that they may have done so, in that
he says they ‘‘beat down”’ the grain.

Grasshoppers—Grasshoppers are mentioned in one of our question-
naires, and also in Forbush’s ‘‘Game Birds, Wild Fowl and Shore Birds”’
Crab).

100 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Grubs—The supposition that grubs were eaten was based on the fact
that the birds were often seen feeding on the ground in woods and also
on unsown fields. Perhaps in such cases they ate anything that came
their way—nuts, seeds, worms or insects.

Autumn food—Beechnuts—Judging from the answers in the question-
naires, beechnuts were eaten more in the spring than in the fall, but this
preference is no doubt more seeming than actual. In spring they would
be more obviously an item of diet as there were fewer edibles to be had
at that season.

White oak acorns (Quercus alba)—It is not possible to state whether
other species of acorns were eaten, but it seems unlikely that such a
voracious creature as the pigeon would discriminate, except perhaps in
the matter of size, as mentioned before.

Mountain ash (Pyrus sp.)—Mentioned in one questionnaire.

Sassafras (Sassafras variifoltum)—This is a species confined to south-
ern Ontario, and is reported as being eaten by pigeons only from Essex
county: “In the fall, the passenger pigeon was attracted principally for
food to the sassafras berries having a deep red colour; the trees furnishing
this food were numerous upon the sandy ridges of this section.’’ (Ques-
tionnaire, F. H. Conover, Leamington, Ontario.)

Cranberries (Vaccinium sp.)—One mention of cranberries being eaten
is from Timiskaming District.

Wheat—As Peter Kalm says, wheat was the most ‘“‘coveted”’ of the
grains. Many tales are told of the stooks being blue with pigeons. Fall
wheat, newly sown, was of course not overlooked.

Buckwhea:—This seems to have come next to wheat in order of choice.

Oats, barley—Eaten on occasion. ‘‘The first barley grown in East
Williams was supposed to have been grown by Donald McQueen from
barley taken from crop of wild pigeon.’’ (A Middlesex county report.)

Peas—These were another great favourite. The late Col. T. J.
Murphy of London, Ontario, said: ‘‘A flock swooped down on my father’s
pea field one Sunday while he was at church and cleaned it up, about
three acres. The peas were ripe and they left nothing but the straw.’’

Siubble—Stubble fields were well gleaned.

There is only one notable omission from these local lists. Aside from
the eating of juniper buds in the Hudson Bay region, no mention is made
of evergreen seeds, which are considered important in Forbush’s account
from the New England States (71b), and by a correspondent of Mershon’s
(131g). Thelatter says: ‘‘They area greedy bird and will eat everything
from a hemlock seed to an acorn. I have known them to nest on hemlock
mast alone in Pennsylvania, and in Michigan on the pine mast after
beech mast was gone.’’ Considering the extensive pine forests of early

i MTD Ds

Foop 101

Ontario and the great northern regions of spruce and hemlock where
pigeons undoubtedly occurred, the seeds of these trees must surely have
been eaten in large quantities.

The soil and salt eating habit have their Ontario examples. Mr. Alex.
Dey of Brownsburg, Quebec, formerly of Grey county, says: ‘‘Another
habit of theirs was usually on a beaver meadow, there was always a
portion of this on which no grass grew, when the water subsided this
would become dry. The birds used to get down on this dry portion of
the marsh, but what they got there I do not know.’”’ And from the same
county Mr. S. L. Wright says: ‘‘We lived within five minutes’ walk
of the Saugeen river and when the mills closed the dam for. the night the
water all ran away for miles down stream so that there was scarcely any
water in the bed of the river, and the birds used to come there in hundreds
and settle down in the bed of the stream. I think they were after pebbles
or gravel and water, as I don’t think they will eat little fish.”

In Halton county “‘they gathered around a salt lick in Bridgeman’s
Bush near Zimmerman.” (Mr. C. N. Bastedo, Toronto.)

Additional lisi of planis from botanical literature

While annotating the above lists it occurred to the author that there
might be references in botanical literature to plants or berries named for
pigeons and eaten by them, and this proved to be the case. The follow-
ing list has been compiled from Britton and Brown’s Flora (381); “‘Studies
of Plant Life in Canada,’’ by Mrs. Trail (181); Clute’s ‘Dictionary of
American Plant Names,” (47); ‘‘The Flora of Canada,’’ by Macoun &
Malte, (123); Macoun’s ‘“‘Catalogue of Canadian Plants,’ (119) and
others as cited.

Setaria glauca, foxtail; pigeon grass, (Gray. 79).

Setaria viridis, green foxtail; pigeon grass, (‘‘Weeds of Ontario. 86).

Rubus triflorus, swamp raspberry; pigeon berry, (Clute. 47). Occurs
throughout Ontario north to York Factory. (Macoun. 119).

Prunus pennsylvanica, pin cherry; pigeon cherry, (Clute. 47).

Prunus pumila, dwarf cherry; sand cherry. ‘‘So eagerly is the fruit
sought for by the Pigeons and Partridges that it is difficult to obtain any
quantity, even in its most favoured localities.’ (Mrs. Trail. 181).

Mitchella repens, partridge berry; pigeon berry; pigeon plum, (Clute.
47). Occurs north to Georgian bay region, (Macoun. 119).

Lithosperma arvense, corn gromwell; pigeon weed, (Clute. 47).
Occurs in Ontario, (‘‘Weeds of Ontario’. 86).

Verbena officinalis, European vervain; pigeon’s grass, (Clute. 47).
Naturalized from Europe before 1753, (Britton & Brown. 31).

102 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Aralia hispida, bristly sarsaparilla; pigeon berry, (Clute. 47). Occurs
throughout Ontario north to Hudson bay, (Macoun. 119).

Aralia spinosa, Hercules’ club; pigeon tree, (Clute. 47). The Ontario
member of this family is Aralia racemosa, American spikenard, a shrub
whose berries may well have been eaten by pigeons.

Cornus alternifolia, alternate-leaved cornel; pigeon berry, (Clute
47). Ontario from Ottawa to Lake Superior south, (Macoun. 119).

Cornus canadensis, bunchberry; pigeon berry. The only place where
I have found this plant called “pigeon berry”’ is in ‘‘A few Thoughts on
the Botanical Geography of Canada,” by S. Sturton (167).

Cornus stolonifera, red osier dogwood; ‘‘In the latter part of August
and early in September of the same year, on the Swan river, above
Livingstone, and also on the upper Assiniboine, we saw large flocks of
passenger pigeons and as food was scarce we shot large numbers for the
pot. The low flats along the river were covered with Cornus stolonifera
and on the ripe berries of this shrub they were feeding.” (J. & J. M.
Macoun. 121).

Empetrum nigrum, black crowberry; pigeon berry, (Clute. 47). This
berry is also called curlew berry, as well as several other names. It is
said to be one of the chief foods of migrating geese in the spring, and is
eaten by Eskimo curlew and ptarmigan. Occurs in the Arctic Zone.
(M. & M. 123). See page 22 for reference to it being eaten by pigeons
in Labrador.

Tlex verticillata, black alder; pigeon berry, (Clute. 47). Mrs. Trail
calls this the Canadian holly, and says: ‘‘. . . much sought for by the
Wild Pigeon and Canadian Partridge.”’ (181).

Vitis aestivalis, summer grape; pigeon grape, (Clute. 47). Confined
to southern Ontario, (J. Adams. 1).

Phytolacca decandra, poke-berry; pigeon berry, (Clute. 47). Found
in southern Ontario, (Macoun. 119). Neltje Blanchan (24) says:
‘What a hideous mockery to continue to call this fruit the Pigeon-berry,
when the exquisite bird whose favourite food it once was, has been
annihilated from this land of liberty by the fowler’s net.”’

Feeding Habits |

When feeding. on the ground passenger pigeons exhibited a habit
which was evidently universal with the species, since mention of it comes
from many sources. The flock of birds thus feeding moved with a wide
front,.those in the rear constantly rising and flying ahead to settle again
in the front ranks. Mr. Justice Latchford of Toronto describes this most
vividly: “I once saw a large flock feeding in a pea field between me and
the sun low but bright. The splendid iridescence of their plumage thus

ECONOMIC STATUS 103

received a new glory. Every bird was moving, those left in the rear
where the gleaning had been gathered, flying over those in front in a
constant progression. The vivid colours, flashing wings and rapid and
graceful motion combined to produce a scene that is vivid in my memory
to-day, after a lapse of more than fifty years.”

Mr. Alanson Tanner of Weyland, Michigan, says: ‘““The ground would
be blue with pigeons and they constantly flew ahead of the one before
them so it looked like blue hoops rolling, or playing leap frog.”’

According to W. H. Hudson (94), a similar habit is possessed by the
military starling of the Argentine pampas: ‘‘They are always on the
move, the flock presenting an extended front, the beaks and scarlet
breasts all turned one way, the hindermost birds continually flying
forward and dropping down in or a little in advance of the front line.
It is a pretty spectacle, one I was never tired of seeing.”’

Other birds which feed on the ground in flocks display a similar
tendency—snow-birds, sparrows and, naturally enough, domestic
pigeons—but it was the passenger pigeon’s great numbers that made
this such a conspicuous feature among its habits.

Another characteristic of the wild pigeon often noted was its greed.
It was a voracious eater, choking down such things as acorns, seemingly
too large for its throat, and apparently having no judgment concerning
its own capacity. A correspondent says: “I remember shooting two
beside a run of water and found their crops vastly filled with elm nuts
and to such an extent that one of them was bursted open and the food
exuding.’’ (Mr. N. Pearson, Aurora.) Perhaps this bird had suffered
the same fate as is recounted in the following incident: ‘‘Those pigeons
were gluttons to eat and after they cleaned up my father’s pea field
referred to in my report I found some of them dead near their nesting
place. What happened was, they filled their crops with dry peas, then
flew to the stream near their nesting place and drank water. The dry
peas swelled and either burst their crops or choked them. Some of them
were not quite dead on Monday, the next day, when I found them, and
besides being good food the gluttons saved my powder and shot.”’
(Letter from Col. T. J. Murphy, London, Ontario.)

ECONOMIC STATUS
Destructiveness
It may easily be assumed from the importance of grain in passenger
pigeons’ diet that they must often have been a decided menace to the
farmer. Judging from the quotations already given this was so, and it
was particularly true in the days of the early settlements when the year’s
crop was of such vital importance. It is not difficult to imagine the

104 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

hardships which might ensue for the pioneer farmer who had his spring
sowing gobbled up by these voracious visitors for in those days seed was
not easily obtainable and once lost would be perhaps impossible to
replace; or should the birds descend upon his stooks in the fall much
precious potential flour would be lost.

This destructiveness continued even when the pigeons were greatly
decreased in numbers, for although the birds were fewer and grain fields
vastly more numerous, natural food was becoming scarcer in the settled
districts, due to clearing of the land and other human activities. Many
of our correspondents say that their first remembrance of pigeons is
having to keep them off the grain fields. Mr. Althouse of Toronto says:
‘‘When I was nine or ten years old I earned my first wages (25c. per diem)
by shooting (or shooting at) the flocks of pigeons raiding a neighbour’s
new-sown fall wheat,” and Mr. S. L. Wright of Uxbridge says: “. . . the
natural food was grain if it was to be had, and in those days there were
no farm implements like we have to-day. The grain was scattered by
hand and often half of it not covered as it was usually harrowed in with
a home-made harrow, all wood, or else a big branch of a tree dragged
over the ground. So of course the birds lived principally around the
fields and were very destructive. Sometimes boys had to be kept from
school to keep them from destroying crops and when the grain was cut
and in shocks I have seen hundreds of shocks so covered that you could
see nothing but pigeons.”’

Other quotations may well be given here, as I think a more vivid
picture of conditions is obtained from them than in any other way.

One description is taken from Mr. C. A. Fleming’s article in the
Owen Sound Sun Times (66): ‘‘When wheat was ripe in early August and
cut and stooked it was quite interesting to see a flock of a few thousand
pigeons circle around over the field and alight on the stooks of wheat.
They would entirely cover the grain heads where they were exposed.
The farmer was usually alive to the trouble and frequently his gun took
toll of the invaders. The grain at that time was put together 12 sheaves
toastook. Ten were set up on their butt ends in the stubble in a double
row, and two were spread over them, but towards the middle for a double
purpose (1) to shed the rain if wet weather came, and (2) to cover the
heads of ten sheaves and only leave two exposed to the pigeons when
they came.”

Another colourful account has already been quoted (132), but well
justifies repetition: ‘‘Some settlers blessed the pigeons and were thankful
to Providence for such a free gift of food. Others stuffed themselves
with pigeon pie and cursed and swore because the poor birds trespassed
on their fresh seeded fields, ungrateful, as the Israelites of old were when

ECONOMIC STATUS 105

they were so bountifully supplied with quail.’”’ (Mr. R. B. H. Williams,
Petosky, Michigan, formerly of Huron county, Ontario.)

To come from these general descriptions to more definite information,
the variability of pigeons’ habits is again apparent. From ninety-six
replies to this section of the questionnaire the following information is
obtainable:

56 answers say that pigeons were destructive to crops.

40 answers say that pigeons were not destructive to crops.

In 13 localities they were said to have been destructive in the fall.

In 7 localities they were said to have been destructive in the spring.

In 17 localities they were said to have been destructive in the spring
and fall.

Wheat, buckwheat and peas were the chief crops destroyed.

Sown grain, either that sown in spring or fall wheat, was most coveted.
There is no mention of standing grain having been eaten.

On first thoughts it seemed probable that regions in which pigeons
were not destructive would be those where there were small nestings
or none at all. This is true in eleven cases out of the forty cited, but
there are such notable exceptions that no rule could be formulated.
From counties such as Grey, Bruce and Huron, where breeding took
place in colonies of remarkable size, eleven replies (four from Grey, six
from Bruce and one from Huron) say that pigeons were not destructive
to crops. Besides this discrepancy the total evidence is much too con-
tradictory for the theory to hold water; as for example other reports
from these same counties state quite emphatically that crops were
destroyed. A solution of the apparent confusion may be seen in the
following quotation, although it deals with another matter: ‘‘Pigeons
are peculiar, and their habits must be studied by the netter if he would
be successful. When they are feeding on beech mast, they often will
not touch grain of any kind, and mast must be used for bait.’” (Wm.
Brewster, 30b). This would be the situation particularly in the spring
and destructiveness or otherwise would depend on the local natural food
supply. Thus birds in the Bruce peninsula, a region famous for its beech
forests, might have little interest in grain while the nuts lasted.

In respect to fall crops the solution no doubt lies in the fact that
pigeons were an early nesting species, and very often deserted the breed-
ing colony as soon as the young could take care of themselves. These
in their turn scattered over the country in roving bands so that by the
time grain was ripening it would be a mere matter of chance whether
a section of the country would be visited by destructive flocks or not.

Pigeons were an important factor in the destruction of crops, but
here is another aspect of the situation which is interesting. In the

106 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Quebec Bulletin des Recherches Historiques for February 1928 there is
an article on ‘‘Tourtes et Tourtieres’’ by E.-Z. Massicotte (125). The
author says: ‘‘Ainsi 4 Montréal l’intendant Antoine-Denis Raudot signa,
le 22 juin 1710, une ordonance qui defendait a ceux qui allaient a’'la
chasse aux tourtes’ d’entrer dans les terres ensemencées de blé, pois et
autre grains.

“Le 16 mai, 1748, l’intendant Hocquart defendait de ‘chasser les
tourtes’ sur la terre de J.-B. Hervieux a la Pointe-aux-Trembles, a cause
des dommages que |’on causait aux bois et aux semences.”’

The gist of this is that farmers had to be protected by law from
pigeon hunters who were evidently causing as much damage to crops
and woods as the birds themselves.

Value as Food

In spite of its admitted destructiveness the passenger pigeon may be
justly claimed to have been of considerable economic value. It supplied
food; its feathers were of use; it seems to have had a supposed medicinal
value; and as a marketable commodity it was in certain localities a source
of great revenue. In Ontario its foremost importance was as food.

To the pioneers. Its place in the pioneer’s budget has already been
indicated (page 21), and the following quotation confirms it. A letter
from a Galt settler dated October 16th, 1832, tells of a very dry summer
and an August frost killing the crops, and continues: “I must say,
that I think we should have half died, if it had not been for the pigeons;
we shot 30 of a day; one man shot 55 at 5 times; and he pitched a net

and caught 599 at one draw. . .”’ (64). Not only were they secured
by the individual for private use, but as soon as settlements grew up
pigeons were for sale in the markets. In 1633 John Josselyn“’. . . bought

at Boston a dozen of Pidgeons ready pull’d and garbidged for three
pence’’ (98). While in Canada during the early years of the last century:
“In spring the markets [at Quebec] are abundantly supplied with wild
pigeons, which are sometimes sold much lower than the price I have
mentioned: [ls. 6d. to 4s. per dozen] this happens in plentiful seasons”’
(05). |

To the Indians. Indians, before the white man came, knew their
value. They netted them, as will be described later, and Alexander
Wilson (191) says: ‘“These [squabs] are so extremely fat that the Indians
and many of the whites, are accustomed to melt down the fat for domestic
purposes as a substitute for butter and lard.”

“You may find several Indian towns of not above seventeen houses
that have more than one hundred gallons of pigeon’s oil or fat.’”’ (John
Lawson, 109.)

ECONOMIC STATUS 107

In the refuse heaps of a prehistoric village site in Oxford county,
Ontario, passenger pigeon bones were dominant among the bird remains
(192).

Methods of Preparation
Pigeons were prepared for the table in various ways. Mrs. Traill’s
recipe for pot pie has already been given, and this type of pie seems to
have been the most common method of cooking them. In fact the
old ditty goes:
When I can shoot my rifle clear
At pigeons in the sky,
I'll say good-bye to pork and beans
And live on pigeon pie:

Dr. R. H. Arthur of Sudbury says in reply to the question, ‘In what
ways were they prepared for the table?’’—‘‘Nearly always as a pot pie,
with lots of light pastry or dumplings, and a piece of fat pork (not fresh)
to make gravy, as the pigeon breasts were very dry.’ Another in
answering the same question, writes: “‘Pot pie, yum-yum!”’

They were also roasted, stewed, fried and made into soup. Young
squabs were fried in their own fat. When the birds were plentiful the
breasts only were used, and were prepared in various ways, sometimes
fried in deep fat. Another method was to roll them in clay and bake
them. ‘‘Hunters and maple sugar makers often cooked adult pigeons
by roughly drawing and then enclosing the unplucked carcass in wet
clay which was then covered with the embers and hot wood ashes.

“When cooked the meat was removed from the covering of baked
clay which kept with it all the feathers and most of the skin of the bird.”
(Mr. M. W. Althouse, Toronto.)

Mr. Althouse supplied a very full account on all topics, and I will
quote from him again on the subject of food. In answer to the question,
“In what ways were they prepared for the table?” he replied: ‘‘(a) stewed
or fried, (b) salted and kept in brine for winter use, (c) salted (breasts and
thighs), smoked, and dried for winter use, (d) parboiled, and made into
pigeon-pie, a popular use for spring pigeons which were not so tender
as squabs.”’

Salting for winter use was mentioned in the ‘‘Jesuit Relations” of
1662-63 (176f): “‘But when the Pigeons were taken in requital they were
made to pay the cost very heavily; for the Farmers, besides having
plenty of them for home use, and giving them to their servants, and
even to their dogs and pigs, salted caskfulls of them for the winter.”’

Mr. N. Pearson of Aurora describes another method: ‘‘My grand-

108 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

mother was the first white woman to settle north of the Ridges [Oak
Ridges, York county], and she told me about the way she prepared the
pigeons. She had three sons and they rigged a net to capture the birds
and they caught them by the score and fifties. She plucked and opened
them and laid them in a mild pickle for a day or two. She had a large
fire place with two cranes (stoves were not invented) and she hung the
birds in the chimney in the smoke for a time and then packed them in
tubs and barrels for future use. This was before cattle, pigs and sheep
were common, and their meat was venison, fish and partridge, and the
pigeons were good food.”

It was stated in one reply that pigeons were usually cooked in a
“dutch oven’’ as stoves were scarce. Mr. C. E. Corfe of the Museum
staff tells me that his mother had one of these in England. He says it
was a triangular affair made of tin, having two long sides in which were
flaps which lifted up. It was placed before the fire and the flap on that
side raised. When the contents were done on one side the oven was
reversed, and the other flap raised. Another type was cowl-shaped,
with an open face and a small spit inside, and hooks by which it was
fastened to the fender.

Use of Feathers

Pigeons’ feathers were used to a certain extent for beds and pillows,
and an American named Holt who netted pigeons in Victoria county,
as a business, used to ship feathers out from that district. (Alex.
Morrison, Kinmount, Ontario.) But Mr. Althouse says that the birds
were more usually skinned than plucked. However, a French author
writes: ‘Tout paysan avait alors la tourte au pot, et nulle fille de ce
temps ne se mariait sans apporter en dot un lit de plume et des oreillers
aussi, ce beau temps n’est plus, mais. . . on se marie toujours’”’ (133).
Wm. Pope (147) says: ‘“‘The feathers of the breast are very good for
stuffing beds.”’ .

In this connection the following superstition is interesting: ‘“There
was a woman I knew, she lived in Markham township. On her dying
bed, they had to remove feather bed from under her, as she would not
die on pigeon feathers.’”” (Wm, Metcalf, Ravenna, Ontario.)

Medicinal Uses

As far as I have ascertained there are only two instances of these
birds being used in any way for medicinal purposes; the first being
mentioned in a questionnaire: ‘‘The gizzards dried and powdered were
steeped and taken, an old-fashioned but reliable cure for vomiting
stomach.’’ (A. O. Garrison, Plainfield, Ontario); and the second being

ECONOMIC STATUS 109

from an article on the passenger pigeon in folk lore (108): ‘“‘An old
woman, part Indian, used to save the gizzard (gesier) when the pigeons
were prepared for market, and would string them on a thread and hang
them up to dry. The gizzards when dry became shiny and transparent
and were used by this old woman, in the treatment of gallstones. The
reasoning was as follows: the towrte would sometimes take up small stones
(gravois, pronounced grawa) instead of grain, but that did not matter
as its gizzard was strong enough to dissolve the stones. Therefore when
the gizzard came in contact with the gallstones it would dissolve them
too and cure the patient. My informant did not make it clear how the
remedy was taken, but it is certain that it was taken internally as the
gizzard had to come in contact with the stone.”

In China there is another aspect of the pigeon, as a species, being
favourable to health. Jade handles for walking sticks are sometimes
carved in the form of a pigeon’s head, and the gift of such a cane to an
old man implies the wish for continued good health, since the birds are
supposed to possess special powers of digestion (65).

Marketing of Pigeons

Anyone wishing to know something of the scope and value of the
pigeon trade should read Mershon’s book (131). He devotes several
chapters to the subject and many of the figures quoted are truly astonish-
ing. Pigeon hunting as a business came into existence about 1850, and
at one time there were said to be five thousand professional pigeoners
operating in the United States, and it was possible for the individual to
make from $10.00 to $40.00 a day in the height of the season which was
during breeding, a period lasting from March to July. The devastating
effects of this trade upon the species will be discussed in the section
dealing with extermination.

In Ontario

Canadians seem to have lagged behind their more enterprising
neighbours, and there is no evidence of trade in pigeons which in any
way approaches the proportions reached farther south. There are no
doubt reasons for this which are not altogether based on lack of enterprise.
Canada has developed slowly, and it is surprising to realize that pioneer
conditions existed very largely until the last quarter of the past century.
Until then men were still engaged in practical constructive work, making
profitable farms out of clearings, and towns from tiny villages. The
situation is summed up in the remark of a Manitoulin Island correspond-
ent who said that pigeons ‘‘came at a time when there was something
else to do than disturb game.’”’ The attitude was probably typical of the

110 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

whole country concerning the commercial possibilities of the game
resources, and it certainly applies in rural Ontario with regard to market-
ing of pigeons as a business. The birds were of course killed in great
numbers for food and sport in this province, but there seem to have been
few instances of organized slaughter and sale. Mr. C. A. Fleming of
Owen Sound says: “I never knew of them being sold. Every person
had his old muzzle loading shot gun and could get a supply any time.
People who shot more than they needed supplied their neighbours;
or, as in Frontenac county: ‘‘Occasionally a boy would sell a few to buy
ammunition. I never knew them to bring more than 25c. a pair.’’ Near
the larger towns and cities, however, advantage was taken of the markets,
and a considerable trade was carried on, some even shipping out of the
country to Buffalo, Detroit and other border towns.

To quote Mr. Althouse once more with reference to Middlesex
county: “. . . we got bushels of them in summer and early fall, both by
shooting and netting. Early in September and sometimes in late August
people used to go to the roosting places in ‘second-growth’ pines with
torches and long poles, and kill hundreds of fat young birds. Buffalo
was our market, and shot pigeons were worth five cents each, and netted
ones brought five-and-a-half or six cents a piece. We usually hung the
birds in small lots of two or three over night, to cool off, and packed them
in layers of straw in apple-barrels, and sent them, I think by express,
consignee to pay all charges. My father’s net sometimes furnished three
or four barrels in a single day. If I remember correctly a barrel held
about 100 or 120 birds. Sometimes the netting season lasted two or
three weeks. When the visible supply diminished it would not pay to
have two persons attending a net. We never heard it was illegal to net.
The birds were a nuisance to the farmers, a menace to the next year’s
crop of wheat, and in some instances destructive to spring wheat then
standing in stook.”’

A considerable business must have been done in the county, as Col.
T. J. Murphy, living at that time in the region of Staffa in Perth, said:
“South of where I lived they were shipped in car loads to Buffalo and
New York.’’ Detroit would seem the logical market for these birds,
but no doubt was glutted with Michigan birds, which must have been
the case since pickled squab breasts were sent from even Lambton county
to Buffalo.

Simcoe, York, Lincoln and Welland counties were the other centres
of the industry. A letter from Mr. Chas. Hebner of Orillia says: “I can
distinctly remember the days when the passenger pigeon used to come
and roost in the woods between the Nottawasaga and Pine rivers. That
was just sixty years ago and I was then a boy of seven or eight years of

ECONOMIC STATUS 1

age. They came in vast numbers for two or three years and then the
numbers began to diminish until they disappeared altogether when I was
about fifteen. The men who made a practice of marketing pigeons used
to get us boys to climb up into the small trees, in which they were roosting
at night, and knock them down with sticks. A blow on the head with
a stick two feet or more in length would bring the pigeon to the ground.
The birds were thrown into the barrels and shipped to Toronto and
Montreal where I understood they were canned. The man for whom I
used to work shipped as many as sixteen barrels in one day containing
about 100 birds apiece. Sometimes the birds were not dead when the
canvas cover was put on the barrel. The trees were small and this was
one reason why boys were used to climb them. We used to be paid a
cent a piece for all we killed, and I have made as much as $3 in one night
even though I was only a boy.”’

In Toronto: “They were marketed. ..at different places. Big
bunches were handled in St. Lawrence market.’’ (J.C. Fretz, Vineland.)
They were also sold to game dealers and hotel keepers, the usual price
being ten cents each, or a dollar a dozen.

Mr. J. M. Beamer, of Fenwick, remembers a family named Wylie
who lived near Port Dalhousie and used to trap and net birds for the
American market, by the thousands. In St. Catharines market they
were sold, some being brought in and sold alive to be kept in pens until
wanted. These birds brought from five dollars to ten dollars a hundred.
(R. T. Nichol, now of New York.)

In Welland county in the Bobtown locality, a Mr. Eastman used to
catch thousands with stool pigeon and net, to be sold in Thorold town
at ten cents a pair. (Geo. A. Phillips, Welland.)

The fact that more organized hunting was not done in Bruce, Grey
and Huron was no doubt due to their inaccessibility by rail. Many
thousands of birds were killed there, and some were shipped out, as
Mr. John Shaw of Thornbury in Grey says that: ‘‘People used to take
them to Toronto, (100 miles). Price unknown.’’ And in Huron great
loads of birds were carted away from the nestings, but no one seems to
know where they were taken nor what was done with them. In Bruce:
‘“‘Some were for sale, but I cannot remember the price,’ says P. J. Scott
of Southampton.

Professional pigeoners came occasionally to Canada from the United
States. It has been told in another connection how Mr. Osborn of Alma,
Michigan, came to a nesting ‘‘near Georgian bay”’ (13le), (Nesting Table,
page 37). In Victoria county, Mr. Alex Morrison says: “It appeared
to me that there was no close season for the wild pigeon as an old Yankee
named Holt netted them all summer near our farm and I shot pigeons

112 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

on his feeding grounds, as I considered I had as much right to shoot a
few birds as he had to trap hundreds. Holt shipped some alive in crates
and others he killed and sent to the city markets dressed.”’

Prices in Canada seem to have been much the same as in the United
States. In this country according to questionnaire replies they ranged
from five cents a piece to twenty-five cents a pair, and from five dollars
to ten dollars a hundred. In the United States: ‘“‘The prices of dead
birds range from thirty-five cents to forty cents per dozen at the nesting.
In Chicago markets fifty to sixty cents. In fashionable restaurants they
are served as a delicious tid-bit at fancy prices. Live birds are worth
at the trapper’s net forty cents to sixty cents per dozen; in cities $1 to
Fe Sley

I think the fact that prices quoted in the United States are always
on a large scale, 7.e., for dozens, hundreds, barrelfuls; whereas in Ontario
they are mostly for single birds or pairs, is an indication of the difference
in scale and importance of marketing in the two countries.

SPORT

From the sportsman’s viewpoint wild pigeons were fine game. A
bright October day with a hint of frost in the air, a good old muzzle
loader in hand, and pigeons flying and what more could man’s heart
desire? The bird’s swiftness on the wing and its rolling, twisting flight
made it no easy target and considerable skill was needed to bring down
an individual. It was said to be useless to fire at a bird coming toward
you, as the shot would glance off its very thickly feathered breast, so
that it was best to wait until it was just by you before shooting.

The time spent in recharging a muzzle loader must have been an
aggravation with birds coming so thick and fast, and the difficulty was
sometimes overcome in the following way: “‘It was said that the Oxley
brothers, who were Englishmen and true sportsmen, did not fire into the
flock, but each singled out his bird so as to avoid wounding indiscrim-
inately. Breech loading fowling pieces were not common at that time,
so some person loaded the guns, and expert shots did nothing but shoot.”’
(A. W. Reavely, Ridgeway, Ontario, concerning Welland county, Thorold
township.) Everyone of course was not so expert, and many and varied
were the means used to get pigeons—from bow and arrow to stool pigeon
and net—but to everyone, no matter what his methods, pigeon catching
Was great sport. As one of our correspondents says: ‘“‘Oh my, how we
boys who loved shooting looked forward to spring and the flight of the
Pigeon. Guess there was some stealing out of the guns and playing
hookey instead of school for the sugar bush—and a good drink of sap
after brushing away the leaves from the old wooden trough.”’

SPORT £3

In this sport of pigeon shooting the Indians evidently excelled, using
their native bows and arrows rather than guns, for in a letter in ‘‘Forest
and Stream”’ (5) a correspondent says: ‘‘Perhaps there is nothing that
will draw out a whole tribe of Indians, old and young, like a pigeon
hatchery. . . .Here were gathered at different points most of the natives,
old and young, from three or four tribes of Indians. Here the best
archers from the Buffalo, Cattaraugus, and Alleghany reservations had
met for a trial of skill. I am not well posted in the scores of modern
times, but it was then and there that I say greater feats in archery than
I ever witnessed before or since.’’ This refers to a nesting of pigeons in
western New York State in 1823 that covered 180 square miles.

Trap-shooting :

One purpose for which pigeons were procured in large numbers was
trap-shooting—and of all forms of so-called sport surely this is one of the
lowest. It is one thing to hunt a creature in woods or field where it has
equal chances of escape, but it is quite another to capture it, confine it,
and then release it to be shot in its first ecstasy of freedom.

HAW H’S PIGEON TRAP.

*mu01y POZTUBATVY
JO,
open

PRINCIPLE IS NEW,
SIMPLE AND
EFFEC'LIVE

a TRAP IS PLACED IN THE GROUND, the top level with the surface. When
the cord is pulled one-half of the lid revolves within the Trap and DRIVES THE BIRD INTO
THE AIR. Sportsmen willat once appreciate the advantages. Price $4.

Agents: HARTLEY & GRAHAM, New York.

An advertisement appearing in ‘‘Forest and Stream”’ in 1880.

The details of the performance consist in the releasing of birds from
traps, usually five in number, placed on the ground in a semi-circle around
the marksman. The traps were sprung by means of a complicated
system of cords and cogs so that it was impossible to tell from which

114 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

one the bird would come. Rules of considerable number and diversity
grew up as they do about any simple game, and these may be found in
the constitutions and rules of the various gun clubs of the time.

The history of the sport seems rather obscure, but apparently it
originated in England, about 1790, where the Hurlingham and National
Gun Clubs were its two famous supporters. Monaco was also a great
centre, and international tourneys were held there, and still are, I believe.
The first American club was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1825, and
from then on the sport gained in popularity until the country was swarm-
ing with small and large shooting clubs. For many years live birds were
used, the Blue Rock being the common species in England, while in
America wild birds seem to have been most in demand, although glass
balls were used to some extent and finally ‘‘clay birds’’ were invented,
and are commonly used to-day. This latter change was brought about
by legislation backed by public opinion against the cruelty of using
live birds.

In America the sport has a history that is interesting although un-
pleasant in many ways. It seems to have become a mania toward the
end of the last century, and the pages of such magazines as ‘‘Forest and
Stream”’ are full of shooting match scores and accounts of tournaments
which have a full flavour of the “good old times’’—‘‘The club members
and friends left their elegant rooms at Harry Miner’s in carriages about
noon, with all the conveniences for a good afternoon’s sport. . . .At the
close of the contest a bountiful collation was partaken of at the hotel,”
says this magazine concerning a Long Island event.

Such friendly affairs were no doubt very harmless and pleasant, aside
from the pigeons destroyed, but as so often happens, gambling and
professionalism crept in with demoralizing effects. Large prizes of money
were contested for, and in the case of professional shooters, the gate
receipts were divided between the contestants. The following is interest-
ing in this connection:

“A challenge Accepted—Brooklyn, April 20, 1880. Editor Forest
and Stream:—I notice Captain A. H. Bogardus issued a challenge to
any man in America a short time since, previous to his going to England,
in which he allows any man that accepts, to name the match, and he
would wager two to one. I therefore accept his challenge and name the
stakes $500 to his $1,000 for the following pigeon match: Fifty pairs,
double risers, Long Island rules to govern; with the exception of find
and trap for each other, or find substitutes. Match to take place at the
Brooklyn Driving Park any time mutually agreed upon within one month
from date. I have this day deposited with E. H. Madison, 564 Fulton
Street, the sum of $100. Wm. King.”

eT toe

hy.

SPORT 10 83)

Great cruelty was often displayed in the treatment of the birds.
Should they not be sufficiently lively, a patch of feathers would be torn
off their backs and essence, or oil, of cayenne put on the raw flesh, or
pins would be stuck in their bodies, or adhesive plaster would be put
over one eye so that they would fly in the desired direction.

Naturally great numbers of birds were used, and although a defender
of the sport maintained that ninety per cent. were tame birds raised for
the purpose (not that this in any way lessened the cruelty) in reading
through old accounts it is obvious that wild ones were preferred. Some
idea of these numbers and also of the various opinions which gradually
took shape concerning the sport are found in letters in ‘‘Forest and
Stream’”’ for 1880. In the issue for April 22nd is the following:

‘Editor Forest and Stream :—

‘In a March, 1880, issue of Forest and Stream, picked up at random,
which number, by the way, chronicles a comparatively light week for
trap-shooting, I figure as follows, under the head of ‘Shooting Matches’:

Whole numberof pigeons shot ati.i.4.....aneoeds 1,209
Whole number of pigeons killed.................. 859
Whole number of pigeons missed...:............. 300

‘“‘At the head of some of the scores I notice ‘Birds very wild’; ‘High wind
prevailing’; ‘Cold, drizzling rain,’ etc., which goes to show that March
is not par excellence the trap-shooter’s month; so it is hardly fair to
multiply the results of the week by fifty-two, and call the product a just
ageregate of a year at the traps. However, for the sake of argument,
let us strike a balance :—

Whole number of pigeons shot at................. 62,868
Whole-nuniber of ‘pigeons killed . 2... cou. whe 44,668
Whole number of pigeons missed................. 18,200

“Quite startling; and Forest and Stream quotes only a small percent of
the matches going forward... .

“. . . Are gentlemen doing right in encouraging the netting of these
birds, by offering fancy prices for them? Is this doubtful industry of
any practical good to the nation or individuals? On the whole, is not
the netting of pigeons and their slaughter at the trap cruel, unmanly
and unsportsmanlike?

“But a few years ago wild pigeons were abundant, and plenty of
really exciting sport could be had in pursuing them. Now, owing to the
sudden and reprehensible mania for trap-shooting that has taken pos-
session of our sportsmen, they are like the Messina quail, very scarce.
Constantly pursued, they are melting away, and soon will be only known
to natural history as an extinct species, and another generation, in
traversing the corridors of the Smithsonian, will crowd about a single

116 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

specimen of Ectopistes magratorius (if haply one be left by the trap-
shooters for this purpose) and say: ‘Behold the bird our fathers sacrificed
to a relic of barbarism called trap-shooting.’. . . .H. W. De L.”

On April 29th a reply to the foregoing letter says in part: ‘‘His fear
that trap-shooting will deplete the number of wild birds is also, I think,
without foundation, because the opportunity to catch them is limited
to two months of the year, and they are too delicate to stand much
transportation or handling. Without doubt they are caught in great
numbers for the market, but the proportion that run the gauntlet of
the traps is small, as 90 per cent of birds killed in pigeon shooting are
domestic. Knowles.”

Again in the May 27th number: “De L. errs in ascribing to trap-
shooting the decrease in birds. The suggestion that there is any decrease
in the annual flight of wild pigeons is absurd; their fecundity is mar-
vellous; it seems as if they were created by a kind Providence especially
for the demand... .

“Any apprehension, I think, of the perpetuity of the wild pigeon
being limited or affected by trap-shooting is groundless. The only fear
is that each year the roosts being farther from us, it costs more to get
them here. Our State shoots will have to find some substitute. What
shall it be?>—En Garde.”

Other notes in ‘‘Forest and Stream’’ for the same year tell of the
annual ‘‘conventions’’. Under the date of April 15th: ‘The Seneca Gun
Club—Seneca Falls, N.Y. . . .The club is in a prosperous condition,
and the managers are actively engaged with matters pertaining to the
Convention. The Bird Committee are in correspondence with different
parties in regard to pigeons, but in my judgment the contract will be
given to either Phillips of Detroit [whose business is described in Mer-
shon’s book (131d)], or Stagg of Chicago, both reliable dealers, who
would furnish good birds.”

But neither Phillips nor Stagg got the contract: ‘“‘The State Con-
vention—Messrs. Parrish and Williams, of the Seneca Gun Club, Seneca
Falls, have contracted with Frank Chaffey for the immediate delivery
of 12,000 wild pigeons to be used at the coming tournament. One
thousand birds have been shipped to the Monroe County Club, and will
arrive this week. The Rochester Gun Club and several clubs in that
vicinity have also ordered birds of Mr. Chaffey for practice.

“Monday, May 24th, has been appointed as the date for the opening
of the Convention.”’

There was already a movement against this sport; pigeon shooting
was not allowed in New Hampshire, while in February, 1880, Rhode
Island passed a bill prohibiting the same thing in that state. And in this

SPORT ney

same year an event occurred which seems to have been the beginning
of the end of live bird shooting. For the week beginning May 24th,
as intimated in the letters already quoted, at Seneca Falls, New York,
was held the twenty-second annual convention of the New York State
Association for the Protection of Fish and Game, and during the whole
week conservation does not seem to have been even mentioned, but a
great shooting match went on when the twelve thousand pigeons ordered
from Mr. Chaffey, were shot at and no doubt mostly killed. This affair
created a storm of protest, as may well be imagined, and called forth
many interesting letters, some of which may be read in ‘Forest and
Stream”’ for that year. However, the flurry seems to have died down,
since the same thing, on an even larger scale, occurred the following year.
This meet was held at Coney Island and twenty thousand birds were
slaughtered, with the immediate result that a law was passed in New
York State prohibiting shooting at “‘any live pigeon, fowl, or other bird
or animal”’ asa target, or for amusement, or as a test of marksmanship—
but adding: ‘Nothing herein contained shall apply to the shooting of
any wild game in its wild state.’ This was a step in the right direction,
particularly considering the influential position of New York State in
the Union, but it was another twenty years before the use of live birds
was abolished over the whole country.

Trap-shooting 1n Canada

In Canada the trap-shooting mania seems to have been of a somewhat
less virulent type. According to Mr. John Townson it was a fairly
common sport in Ontario, but scarcity of money prevented its being
carried on in a large way as it was in the United States. The Toronto
Gun Club, formed in 1871, was the only organization that could afford
to buy wild birds for its shooting matches, and evidently this was more
a matter of “‘good form’’ than of better sport, as Mr. Townson says that
domestic pigeons were much harder to shoot, being in so much better
condition than wild ones that had passed through the vicissitudes of
being trapped and then confined for shipping.

The Toronto Gun Club got its birds mostly from Buffalo, and they
were sent across the lake by boat in crates containing about fifty individ-
uals. These were obtained usually only in Apr.l, during a period of
about three weeks, while the spring migration was on. The Club would
use perhaps an average of four hundred birds in a day and a match would
usually last three days. A record attendance at a tournament would
be about fifty-five, while the usual number was about thirty. In the fall
when the annual tournament was held, domestic birds would be used,
as at that season it did not pay to net wild ones for this purpose. (Cf.

118 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Mr. Althouse’s report of netting in Oxford county, page 110—this being
an instance of the local variability of pigeons).

Mr. William Loane of Toronto, who made his living by hunting and
trapping, and who had the contract for supplying the Queen’s Hotel with
game, used to net pigeons north of Toronto for trap-shooting. His
methods will be found under ‘‘Netting’’.

Grand Pig , - atch,

=_( a> & Sy <=

ee ae

Wing ar Mo ad OR
Alt the Golden Lion Inn, Yonge- Street.

A Grand Pigcon
SHOOTING MATCH

Will take place at Sheppard’s Inn, as above, on WEDNESDAY, 26th of
SepremBer, instant. Upwards of Three Hundred Pidgeons are provided for
the occasion, and it is purposed to give Three Prizes as follows ;

a ale t
~ AR /)
a VLE «
(ee =
. =f
Fa ‘\\ XS 7
8) NN
a Ye
1), So
Ai
tAN s

For the Best Shot, a Prize of £10.—Second best do. £5.—Third do. do.—a Good Rifle!!!
adr Shooting to commence at 11 o'Clock, before which Hour the Gentlemen wishing to

participate in the Sport, will be required to enter their names, and to comply with such Re-

gulations for the government of the Sport, as may be arranged amongst themselves after

their arrival.
Dinner will be on the Cable at 4 o' Clock.

YORK, 16th Sept. 1833.

The original of this advertisement has been loaned to the Royal Ontario Museum
of Zoology by Professor E. W. Banting of the University of Toronto, and is reproduced
here with his permission.

THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO 119

METHODS OF TAKING PIGEONS

Before embarking on the more than complex subject of extermination
it might be well to give some idea of the various ways in which pigeons
were caught, or killed—the mechanical details of the greatest contributing
factor of their extermination.

Early References

Indians used nets as well as bows and arrows to take the birds, but
whether the use of the former was learned from the white man is perhaps
a matter of conjecture. Pierre Boucher (134) says: ‘There are birds
of another kind called wild pigeons. . . .There are prodigious numbers
of them. . . they are to be found everywhere in this country. The
Iroquois take them in nets as they fly, sometimes by three hundred or
four hundred at a time.’’ Peter Kalm (81) says: “The Savages in
Onondaga had built their huts on the sides of this salt field, and here
they had erected sloping nets with a cord attachment leading to the
huts where they were sitting: when the Pigeons arrived in Swarms to
eat of this salty soil, the Savages pulled the cords, enclosing them in the
net, and thus secured the entire flock.” |

These two accounts sound rather as though the Indians originated
the idea—but the English took them in nets about 1660, and had done
so for some time previously according to Josselyn (98).

There are in early literature other references to pigeon catching which
show it to have been an opportunity soon seized upon, as has indeed
been obvious already in other connections. Quotations from the “Jesuit
Relations” have been given previously and a narrative (176g), in this
collection, of the Mission of Saint Joseph at Goiogonen says: ‘‘Many
snares are set there for catching pigeons, from seven to eight hundred
being often taken at once.”’

Guns of course were the most usual method employed, but I do not
imagine that the following incident was of very common occurrence.
It is taken from a “Narrative of a voyage to, and travels in, Upper
Canada,” by James Taylor, 1846 (171): “Rock pigeons are sometimes
very numerous in Canada. In the spring of the year, myriads of those
dove-like visitors may be seen flying in the air. One of those prodigious
flights came over Lake Ontario, in a direction for one of the garrisons,
which being observed by the soldiers, a cannon was loaded with grape
shot, and when the pigeons came within range, the contents were dis-
charged amongst them, and made very great slaughter; hundreds of them
fell into the lake, and furnished plentiful picking for their pursuers, who
pulled off in their boats from the shore to gather them.”’

120 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

One or two other quotations are d propos before going into details
as given in questionnaires. ‘‘A Backwoodsman,”’ Dr. Dunlop, (57),
writing about 1832, tells of events at Toronto, then York; the infringe-
ment of the law which is mentioned being evidently the fact of shooting
within the town limits, as game was in no way protected in those days.
‘Every person who has been in America has described the interminable
flocks of wild pigeons; so I shall not trouble my reader on that score.
Some two summers ago, a stream of them took it into their heads to fly
over York; and for three or four days the town resounded with one
continuous roll of firing, as if a skirmish were going on in the streets—
every gun, pistol, musket, blunderbuss and fire-arm of whatever descrip-
tion, was put in requisition. The constable and police magistrate were
on the alert, and offenders without number were pulled upb—among whom
were honourable members of the executive and legislative councils, crown
lawyers, respectable, staid citizens, and, last of all, the sheriff of the
county; till at last it was found that pigeons, flying within easy shot,
were a temptation too strong for human virtue to withstand;—and so
the contest was given up, and a sporting jubilee proclaimed to all and
sundry.” .

Robert Crichton says in “Impressions of Owen Sound in 1851” (50):
‘For two or three seasons wild pigeons were very numerous, especially
in 1853 and 1854. The sportsmen used to range themselves along the
edge of the hill, and in the morning the shooting seemed like infantry
practice, as the pigeons flew over the village from their nesting places
on the hills to the westward. I remember the pigeons so numerous that
they almost darkened the sun with the immense flocks. Large rookeries
of them were in the neighbourhood, and they supplied the family pot
of many an early settler. It is one of the strange things of nature that
they have all disappeared.”’

According to local information that we have received, the methods
used in Ontario were many and varied, ranging from a boy’s most
primitive bow and arrow to a complicated netting system, complete
with bough-house and stool pigeons.

Bow and Arrows

Arrows were used very rarely, judging from questionnaire replies—
only five answers saying that they were. One from the Timiskaming
district states that they were used there to save ammunition, as guns
were used only when the hunter was sure of getting five or more birds
at a shot. (Mr. Joe Moore, Wawaitin Falls.) Mr. Fleming of Owen
Sound describes his method of making bow and arrows (66): ‘“‘We would
select some nice straight cedar split into pieces about an inch square,

121

METHODS OF TAKING PIGEONS

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122 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

and say eighteen inches long. A nail would be driven into one end of
each piece, all the heads ground off and brought to a sharp point on the
grind stone. Then arrows would be shaped out of these pieces of cedar,
perhaps twenty-five or thirty to be ready for business when the pigeons
came. A piece of straight grained rock elm would be found about four
feet long and split and shaped up to make the splendid bows with which
to shoot our arrows.

‘Selecting a suitable spot where flocks often passed we would shoot
the arrows into the flocks. If the sharp pointed arrow hit a bird, it was
‘our meat.’ The arrow would stick and bring it down—that is when
we managed to make a strike—of course there were so many air holes
through the flocks, that if one out of a dozen arrows brought a bird it
was considered extra good luck.”

Shooting

Shooting pigeons with a gun was evidently the commonest way of
procuring them in this province. One hundred and ten replies give this
as the method used in the writer’s locality. All kinds of guns were used
from the cannon to the pistol, judging from our various sources of informa-
tion; and shooting in times past was not the simple affair of to-day.
Guns were muzzle loading and were by no means the mechanically perfect
modern products—nor was.the gun itself the only problem :—‘‘Carried
our shot and powder in flasks for powder, cows’ horns for shot.’’ (Alfred
Lamb, Constable, Ontario.)

Great tales are told of record shots and the numbers they brought
down, but some I am afraid need to be taken with the proverbial pinch
of salt to be at all digestible. As already told in a “‘Jesuit Relation”
(176f) one man in the good season of 1662 accounted for one hundred
and thirty-two at a single shot. Another Frenchman at a much later
date is said to have secured ninety-nine with one discharge of his gun,
and when asked why not a hundred he replied that he certainly would
not lie for the sake of one small pigeon. Others tell more plausibly of
thirty-nine or forty at a shot (this being the record for Walpole township,
Haldimand county), or twenty-five, or eight killed and six wounded,
while a Prescott county man once fired a shot and they gathered up
of the pigeon fragments two pailfuls.

As an example of youthful prowess Mr. N. Pearson of Aurora tells:
‘““My leisure on Saturday was my own time for the pigeons, and I went
out nearly a mile one day at about 10.30 and came in before noon with
twenty-four. Not much of a bag, but for a boy not ten years old it was
satisfaction.’’ And this is how he did it: ‘“‘I lit on a field of pea stubble
and had a small beech for a foreground with a thorn in the pease patch,

one aeteae

METHODS OF TAKING PIGEONS 423

and in a very little time the birds appeared and in the first shot there
fell eighteen which I picked up and retired to the beech tree, and looking
up I saw two birds in proximity and I let off my gun, and instead of two
down came six which I had not seen.”’

Another account is in Mr. C. A. Fleming’s newspaper article (66):
‘Arriving at the age of ten years the old single barrel shot gun was avail-
able after careful instruction as to how to load it, fire it and care for it,
and a few lessons as to how, where and when to shoot. It was no use
to fire at a flock when coming toward you. The shot would glance off
those thickly feathered, highly polished breasts, and you would scarcely
ever see one fall—but just turn around and get them when they were
going away from you, and you would get your birds from one to half a
dozen at a shot. .

‘‘Another way was to get them after they lit on the top rail of a zig-zag
fence. A neighbour bought a new gun. A very nice patent breech gun
with a highly polished walnut stock, the finest in the settlement. He
would be out early in the morning to get a shot at the pigeons that would
light on the rail fences, but he never could get more than one bird at a
shot. Before this he would often be given three or four by some of us
boys when we had taken from six to a dozen at a shot from the top of a
fence before he got his new shooting iron.

Telling of a Bruce county colony, the ‘‘Paisley Advocate”’ said (152):
‘The place is visited by scores of persons who are shooting the pigeons,
and all the shot in Owen Sound and Southampton seems to have been
fired away as a telegram has been received in Paisley asking for a supply.”’

Even worse than having no shot was the predicament of Alexander
Dingwall Fordyce of Fergus, who said writing to his father in June,
1835 (196): “‘. . . at this season there is no difficulty in getting a dinner
of pigeons, of which there are great Flocks, but I have not yet got
spectacles so I might as well have no gun.”

Mr. Townson tells of pigeon shooting in Toronto in the early days:
“Tt might be explained that shooting on Sunday in those days was not
uncommon, especially when the pigeons were flying. Also at that time

124 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

there was a large tract of open ground extending from St. James Cemetery
over to the end of Bloor Street, where the old blockhouse stood on the
crest of the ravine where the Sherbourne Street bridge is now located.
This open stretch of ground was a favourite place for the local gunners
to wait for the pigeons as they lowered down after passing over the city,

eel

and for many years was known as ‘Pigeon Green’.

Netting

Although the commonest method of taking pigeons in the province
was by use of the gun, the net was employed to a considerable extent,
and evidently in several different ways. Mr. Althouse gives a good
description of one of them:

‘““(a) a@ nei with a mesh about three inches stretched diagonally.
This net would be fully 100 feet long and about 40 feet wide. One edge
was pegged down with crotched twigs, while the opposite edge was
lightly leaded, and folded back on top of the pegged edge.

‘“(b) A pair of strong spring-poles, set to throw the free edge of the
net over the

‘““(c) prepared bait-bed, covered with chaff or cut straw among which
a plentiful supply of shrunken wheat or pease was scattered.

‘“(d) A stool-pigeon, securely tied to a tilting stick or board, so that
when the heavy end was lifted by the trapper, the bird would flutter.
We used a ‘winged’ pigeon for a starter stool-pigeon; but took a fresh
one from succeeding catches.

‘Feeding flocks flying near saw the stool-pigeon apparently lighting
to feed, and followed suit.

“Often the baited space would be left un-netted for a day or two until
fresh flocks got used to feeding there.

‘When the net was sprung most of the pigeons upon the baited area
would be caught, and as the meshes were large enough to allow heads
and necks to come through, but no more, very few struggled clear.

“The approved method of killing the catch was by biting the head
just back of the eyes. It was not necessary to break the skin, the crush-
ing of the base of the skull killing the birds instantly.

‘Some people closed the eyes of the stool-pigeon by stitching the
eyelids with a fine silk thread; but my father regarded this as a needless
cruelty. The stool-pigeons usually became pretty tame in a week or so,
and generally ate pease freely after the second day of captivity.”

Mr. Townson described to me the method used by Mr. Loane at
Toronto, which was practically the same as that described above, and
directed the drawing of the accompanying sketch as illustration.

. me Ge

METHODS OF TAKING PIGEONS 125

The net was attached to the poles by heavy iron rings which by their
own weight, added to that of weights along the front edge of the net,
slipped instantly down the poles to the ground when these were released
by pulling a cord which ran to a nearby hide. About 1873 Mr. Loane
used to trap pigeons on the open lands north of what is now Danforth
Avenue. The district was called ‘‘The Plains’’ by Toronto people, and
belonged, Mr. Townson thinks, to the Church, and consequently lay
vacant and uncultivated for many years. It was covered with a con-
siderable growth of scrub oak which seemed to come in on lands cleared
of original pine forests, and the acorns attracted pigeons in the spring.

a : Pole, Released .—
See eee which weighted
Fait ront edge of net
hep gttached at, pee
YH batted ground.
ole, hack edge , (There would be
Pegged to / two poles, one at
ground. / either end of the
/ net )

=—_—_—
ie

ot —_— oo

fs iach ef ee re

pole ts Sprung. deep filled with grain

Diagram of method of netting pigeons as described by Mr. Townson.

' Another method is shown by the sketch on page 126, which is repro-
duced from that contained in Mr. Christopher Stephenson’s report.

This shows a ground plan of the arrangements, while the section
at the upper right gives a side elevation of the part which lifted the net
up and over the birds. Mr. Stephenson says: ‘“There was only one
person in the neighbourhood [Halton county, Nelson township] that used
the net. I remember going to see the kind of arrangement he had.
I was only a young boy then but boy-like wanted to see how it was done.”’

The nets themselves were evidently much the same as a seine net
used for fish. Dr. R. H. Arthur of Sudbury says: ‘The net was usually
made by sewing together two strips of ‘seine’ 15 or 20 feet long and
10 to 12 feet wide—bound around edges with withes. .. .”’

The Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology has a net donated by Mr.
Abram H. Culp of Beamsville, Ontario, and used by his grandfather,
S. R. Culp of Vineland. This is of the seine type with a mesh of four

126 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

inches, and is roughly twenty feet long by ten feet wide, a net which
would not make any very great hauls.

A correspondent, Mr. Difenderfer, describes how nets were made:
‘Pigeon nets were woven by hand, 2 inch mesh, of medium size seine
twine. 40 by 60 ft. was regular size, some were longer and some wider.
The shuttle was made from hickory; was 12 in. long, 124 wide, and 3/8
to 4 in. thick. Cord was wound on shuttle around prong in centre
and cup inend. Shuttle would hold about 100 ft. of twine.”’

Elevation to Paise
Net over Pigeons

4
~
~

(e)

~
~

~
~
SS
~~

> wan Pole and to Ground

er es
f 4) ii:
<< 1 2 Sane er
Stool- Pigeon ve Wile at ioe hie
ON laa iGrain.
% f ‘ : ee se
Ley eae ae
iY) £ x eS
>
oS

Diagram of method of netting pigeons as described by Mr. Stephenson.

Different situations were chosen for bait-beds, some setting their nets
in an open field and building hides of corn stalks or branches, while
others made use of local shelter as described in a Welland county report:
‘‘As the fences were all rail, father would hide on the other side, when
the pigeons would alight to feed on peas, buckwheat or wheat, as the
feed might be. . . .When the pigeons came along the net he would pull
the string; down would go the net. Then he would hold tightly on the
string or tie it to the fence, then get busy reaching underneath it and
grab all you wanted. Sometimes there would be so many birds under
the net it would raise a foot high in the centre.’ (Garnet G. Laur,
Bridgeburg. )

Grain was used as bait and sometimes artificial salt beds were pre-

om ¢

METHODS OF TAKING PIGEONS 127

pared. We have no record of this latter custom in Ontario, but as it
may very well have been used here I will quote an account, ‘‘How the
Marsh Beds were Prepared to Attract the Birds,’’ from French (75):
‘‘The ground was spaded and raked over as in the making of a garden,
then a quantity of salt was scattered over and whipped into the earth
with a brush until it was thoroughly mixed. The pigeons would eat
this ‘muck’ with a relish. This mixture doubtless aided the birds to
digest their rich diet, which consisted in the main of beech nuts and
black-jack acorns. The salt was applied about every other day in small
quantities to freshen the ‘muck’ bed.”’

Netting in Ontario

There follows a list of Ontario counties in which netting was done;
the numbers indicate the number of times it was reported in answers
to our questionnaires from the various counties.

Dufferin, 1; Durham, 1; Elgin, 1; Essex, 1; Grey, 3; Haldimand, 1
(with stool pigeon, 10-40 at one haul); Halton, 1; Hastings, 2 (one reply
says ‘‘only a few nets’’); Kent, 1; Lincoln, 3 (one with stool pigeon);
Middlesex, 1 (we know from other sources that netting must have been
done commonly in this county) ; Ontario, 1; Prince Edward, 1; Victoria, 1;
Waterloo, 1; Welland, 5 (one with stool pigeon); York, 3 (one similar to
Jack Miner’s crow net).

These numbers are really not very satisfactory, as it is generally
impossible to tell whether the information in a reply refers to the whole
county or merely to the locality known to the writer. As I think I have
indicated before, personal knowledge of the country fifty years ago was
very localized; travel was so arduous, roads so bad, means of transport
so slow and uncomfortable, that a man wasted no time in merely ‘“‘seeing
the country”, and so knew very little of his distant neighbours’ doings.
However, the numbers given must be to a certain extent indicative of
the prevalence of netting since the highest numbers come from regions
where we know pigeons were exported or were very numerous.

Trapping

Besides netting there were many other methods used to capture
pigeons. Trapping was done to some extent but few particulars can
be given as most correspondents failed to supply any details of the ways
in which it was done. Miss Pollard of Tillsonburg says: ‘“‘Mostly
trapped in a big box about the size of a waggon. Grain was put under
the box, the box being raised about a foot from the ground, with props
to which ropes were attached. The trap was usually set on a high knoll
near the edge of the woods and when all ready, the trapper would hide

128 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

behind a tree or stump until the birds came for the grain, and when all
he wanted were in the trap, he would pull the rope and let the box drop
over them. It had a slat top, through which he removed them to kill.
Everyone preferred the trapped ones for eating as there was no danger
of them biting into shot.”’

These box traps were sometimes made with netting tops.

Trapping was done in the following counties in Ontario, according
to our records:

Essex, one record; Grey, three records; Hastings, one record; North-
umberland, one record (kept alive in pens until needed); Oxford, two
records; Welland, one record.

As pigeons so often came in the spring about sugar making time sap
troughs were sometimes employed as traps, no doubt when the birds
were in too great numbers to be resisted, and when no other means of
catching them was at hand. ‘‘We boys used to trap the wild pigeons by
means of a sap-trough set on edge. What a thrill of delight to see this
down! The poor captives were drawn forth and their necks wrung with-
outa pang. Thoughtless cruelty of boys. Icouldn’t doit now. I hate
even to see anything killed’ (128).

Other Methods of Taking Pigeons

As has been described before, pigeons had a habit of sometimes flying
very low over hill tops, barn roofs or other eminences, and people often
posted themselves at such points of vantage and knocked the birds
down with clubs, poles, or branches. This was apparently done quite
commonly as eighteen of our questionnaires refer to it, and it is mentioned
now and then in the literature. Wm. Pope (147) refers to it as a way
of taking tired birds that flew very low after crossing Lake Erie. It
seems a slow and wearisome method, but perhaps it was done in those
days to save powder and shot which were none too plentiful. Roosting
birds were also knocked from the perches by sticks as described by Mr
Hebner in the section on marketing; and young birds were taken from
the nests either by day or by torch light at night.

Snares were used in Glengarry and Simcoe counties, but no details
of the methods are given. Near Stouffville, York county, they were
caught “‘by placing a platform up about 8 feet from the ground and
putting sticking wax on, and some wheat for them to eat.’’ (Mr. David
Clarke, Stouffville). In fact, every means for destruction that human
ingenuity could devise was employed. One or two of the more unusual
of these are interesting. A correspondent from Carleton county says
that his brother told him ‘“‘that when he was a boy they would build

VARIATION IN NUMBERS 129

houses out of the sheaves of grain and catch them by the legs and pull
them in,’’ presumably the boys hiding inside the houses.

Chief Justice Latchford of Toronto says: ‘‘One method used in Hull
was to lash a long dry pole to a limb used as a roost. From the tip
of the pole a line led to a hide. The pole was drawn back and when the
limb was sufficiently occupied the line was released and the pole knocked
the birds from the limb.”’

Mr. William Teskey of Orillia writes: ‘‘During potato harvest it was
sport to get a tough gad, point it, put a potato on it, and hurl the missile
at the continuous flocks of pigeons. We lost many potatoes, but secured
very few pigeons.”’

Mr. George A. Reid, the artist, of Toronto, told me that when he
was a boy he was sent one day to a neighbour’s to borrow the sheep-
shears. Coming back along the road pigeons began to fly over his head,
so low as to be more than tempting. Almost instinctively he tossed up
the shears he was carrying and to his great surprise down came a pigeon.

VARIATION IN NUMBERS

It is now generally recognized that many species of mammals, birds
and insects show a more or less regular fluctuation in numbers. Some
vary from one month to another, others in a yearly cycle; and others
again have a maximum and minimum which may cover several years
from peak to peak.

The fact that wild pigeons were so numerous in a certain locality
in one year and almost absent in another might lead one to believe that
they experienced such fluctuations. Perhaps they may have done so,
but from the information at hand it is impossible to be quite positive
either one way or the other. However, certain deductions can be made
from the available data. ‘‘Pigeon years’’, that is, years when the species
was noticeably abundant, occurred, according to some people, every
three or four years; others say, every five or six years, and Mr. Townson
of Toronto thought they were more numerous every six or eight years.
From this it might appear that the numbers of the birds rose and fell
in a somewhat irregular cycle, but I do not think this was the case, and
for several reasons. Pigeons were, as is being continually reiterated,
highly erratic in their movements, largely influenced by food supply, so
that it is an obvious conclusion that when they were scarce in one place
they were numerous in another. This is clearly shown to have been the
case in the table of nesting records, and it has also been pointed out that
very large nestings took place simultaneously in several localities. So
that scarcity or absence in a given region even over a period of years is
not necessarily an indication of reduced numbers.

130 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

Another more definite and interesting proof of comparative constancy
of numbers was found in the following way. I madea list, from question-
naires, etc., of the years in which pigeons were said to be unusually
numerous and found that they had been so, in varying localities, every
year between 18538 and 1879. Also many of our correspondents say
that the number of pigeons in their locality was regular from year to year.
There is therefore no clear evidence that the species was characterized
by any unusual periodic fluctuation in numbers.

DECREASE AND EXTERMINATION

Theory of Sudden Disappearance a Fallacy

The idea is very prevalent that passenger pigeons vanished from the
face of the earth with amazing rapidity—that they were abundant one
year and gone the next—and in consequence many and strange tales
have been spun to account for their disappearance. They were reported
to have been all drowned in the gulf of Mexico, or in the Atlantic, or in
Lake Michigan. It was said that they flew to Australia, or South
America; that they were all consumed in a great forest fire in Wisconsin;
that they flew to the north pole and were frozen; or that they were
poisoned wholesale in the southern States. These are some of the stories
that have arisen, but they are fantastic and ridiculous. One or two of
them no doubt originally contained a grain of truth since many pigeons
undoubtedly were drowned in the Great Lakes and elsewhere during
foggy or stormy weather, just as are other species of birds. Also forest
fire was an element in their destruction, as will be shown presently.
But the greatest argument against complete destruction of the species
in any such manner lies in the fact that all the passenger pigeons in the
country were not contained in one flock but, as has already been proved,
great flocks occurred simultaneously in widely separated localities. To
drown or burn them all would have necessitated an almost continent-
wide flood or conflagration.

With these fallacies disposed of, and the matter carefully considered,
it becomes quite clear that the extermination of the species was a pro-
longed affair, having its beginning in the earliest days of the white man’s
arrival on the continent and slowly gathering impetus through the years,
coming to a grand finale in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.

The first mention of the early settlers’ effect upon the pigeons seems
to be that of Josselyn (98) about 1660, when he says: ‘‘But of late they
are much diminished, the English taking them with nets.’ In the next
century Pierre Francois Xavier de Charlevoix says in a letter dated at
Montreal, April 22, 1721, to the Duchess of Lesdiquieres (99): ‘“The

DECREASE AND EXTERMINATION 131

other article I mentioned, is the sort of wood-pigeon which used to come
hither in the months of May and June, as was said, in such numbers as
to darken the air, but the case is different at present. Nevertheless,
a very great number still come to rest themselves upon the trees, even
in the neighbourhood of the towns... .”

Peter Kalm (81) says that the birds were being driven into the wilder-
ness by man’s habitations and by his destruction and through competition
for food with the swine so commonly turned into the woods to feed on
acorns. In 1765 Samuel Smith (161) mentions this latter fact in his
history of New Jersey, as already quoted in another connection.

John Lambert (105), also quoted before, says: ‘‘. . . but the immense
flocks that formerly passed over the country are now considerably
diminished; or, as the land becomes cleared, they retire back.’’ This
being between 1806-08.

In 1841 Sir Richard Bonnycastle (26) says: ‘‘The sportsman finds
few snipe, woodcock, pigeons or plover in comparison with former years.”’

And so in many places in the early literature and on down into our
own times the theme is that flocks and nestings of wild pigeons were
never as large as they used to be in the “old days.”’ What ‘‘my father”’
saw in his youth was not to be compared with what “his father’’ had
seen, and although, as I have pointed out, numbers tend to grow in
retrospect, I think in this case it was an actual fact. At first in the
seventeenth century the decrease must have been almost imperceptible
to anyone who could have viewed conditions from the broadest stand-
point. As Josselyn said they may have been appreciably scarcer in the
settled areas, but this was undoubtedly due much more to change of
locality than to actual diminution of numbers. It would quite probably
be several generations before the white man’s destruction had its marked
effect on the species. But once its influence was felt it swept on with
the gathering force of an avalanche until the final overwhelming outburst
of market hunters and trap-shooters of the late nineteenth century.

Disappearance in Oniario

When the full extent of this destructive movement is realized, as it
should be from the discussion which ‘is to follow, it is quite evident that
details which we possess of the disappearance of passenger pigeons in
Ontario form merely a facet in the whole. In the list of last appearances
which follows there are, aside from Fleming’s already well known records
(68-70), few that have the definite scientific value of being backed by
available specimens. However, many are without doubt entirely
reliable; and even when dates are only approximate, comparison with
last appearances from other regions, such as those recorded by Mershon

132 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

(131)), Barrows (15c) and Forbush (71a), shows the Ontario trend to be
similar. Last large flights were seen during the ’70’s._ Last groups and
individuals were noticed from about 1880 on, with an occasional flock of
considerable size still appearing sporadically in the ’80’s. Records con-
tinue with diminishing frequency until 1900, after which the majority
are of very doubtful value.

Last reported appearances in Ontario

Information in the following list of last appearances is taken in
most instances directly from questionnaire replies. A few items are
included which are decidedly vague, but are the only data from the
locality to which they refer. e

1870—Welland county. April. Last large flight in the vicinity of Font-
hill. Lasted two days. See Migration Flight Table, and also
compare below for the year 1883. Reported in questionnaire by
A. W. Reavley, Ridgeway, Ontario.

1872 c-—Lambton county. Last large flight. Reported verbally by
A. M. Thoman, Arkona, Ontario.

1872 c.—Dufferin county. Last large flight. Lasted two and a half
days. Reported in questionnaire by Robert Reid, Camilla, Ontario.

1874—York county, Toronto island, April 3 or 4. Last large flight over
Toronto. Described by John Townson in article read before the
Brodie Club, Toronto. See also Appendix.

1876 or ’77—Middlesex county. There went “. . . great flocks to the
east or northeast and never returned.’’ Reported in questionnaire
by Peter Anderson, Strathroy, Ontario.

1878 c.—Frontenac county. Last large flight. Reported in question-
naire by Professor W. T. MacClement, Queen’s University, Kingston,
Ontario.

1878—Welland county. Small flocks were ‘‘to be seen as late as the year
1878.’ Reported in letter by Geo. A. Phillips, Welland, Ontario.

1879 c.—Hastings county. Last large flocks flew to the east in the spring.
Reported in questionnaire by A. O. Garrison, Plainfield, Ontario.

1880 c.—Grey county. “In about the year 1880 there came quite late
in the evening, a very large flock and roosted in a bush near our
house, in number we thought about 100,000—they left again early
in the morning.’’ Reported in questionnaire by John D. McArthur,
Meaford, Ontario.

1880—Grey county. ‘‘The last pigeons near the village of Leith [near
Owen Sound] were killed by John Thomson, father of Tom Thomson
the artist, in the year 1880. He killed two. For three years

19 Sete wy 7

DECREASE AND EXTERMINATION 133

previous to 1880 not one pigeon had been seen.’’ Reported in
questionnaire by James P. Telford, Owen Sound, Ontario.

1880 c.—Manitoulin Island. ‘Seen about 1880.’’ Reported in ques-
tionnaire by Dr. R. Moore, Fort Frances, Ontario.

1881—Durham county, near Bowmanville. A stray pigeon or two about
in September. Letter dated September 12, from ‘‘Au Sable’’ (John
W. Dutton (58b)).

1881 c.—Peterborough county, one mile east of Lakefield. August.
Fourteen shot. The last the writer saw in that locality. Reported
in questionnaire by Dr. Alex. Bell, Toronto.

1881—Wellington county, Guelph. ‘‘The last wild pigeon that I saw—
a lone hen—was in July, 1881. It sat on a dead branch on top of a
tree near the river opposite where the Ontario Reformatory now
stands.” Howitt (93).

1882—Essex county, Point Pelee. ‘In 1882 my stay there extended
through the last days of August, and a week or so in September, and
during that time we often saw small flocks. . . running up to per-
haps fifteen or twenty. They would rush up the Point or down. . .
at a speed which was all their own. . . I have one specimen from
that trip, although we shot several. It is a male, labelled August,
1882.” W. E. Saunders. Quoted in Taverner and Swales (170).
See also list of Specimens in Ontario Collections.

1882 c.—Hastings county. ‘‘Last one seen or heard of was shot by me
in the fall, in October, about 1882, at Coe Hill.’’ Reported in
questionnaire by W. H. Wilcox, Toronto.

1882-1884—Northumberland county. Still scattered flocks during these
years. Reported by Mr. John Townson in Brodie Club article and
also verbally to the author. See Appendix.

1883—Haldimand county. Last record April 9, 1883. McCallum (117).

1883—Thunder Bay District. Long Lake region. “Very scarce.”
Borron (27a).

1883—Welland county. ‘‘Wild pigeons are reported to have made their
appearance in very large quantities in the cedar swamps, about
twenty miles from Niagara Falls, Canada.’’ Letter from “C. E. L.”’
dated at Suspension Bridge, N.Y., March 20, 1883. ‘Forest and
Stream’’, 1883 (103).

1883—York county. ‘In September, 1883, I was shooting woodcock in
the vicinity of the Rouge river I saw a pigeon flying overhead through
the tree-tops, which I brought down and discovered that it was a
female passenger pigeon in splendid condition. This specimen, the
last I shot, was given to the late David Herring, but have no idea

134 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

what ultimately became of it.’’ John Townson, article read before
the Brodie Club. See Appendix.

1884—Carleton county, Ottawa. June 6. A male shot in Cummings
Woods, Ottawa. E/ifrig (62).

1884 c.—Dufferin county. Very large nesting occurred. See Table of
Nesting Colonies.

1884—Lennox and Addington county. “In 1884 killed my last two.

But a year or so later noticed a wounded one around part of the

) i summer. Quite tame.’’ Reported in questionnaire by Nelson
Instant, Stella, Amherst Island, Ontario.

1884—Hastings county. Two shot, in early fall, by E. Brooke-Daykin
then living in Madoc.

1884—Wellington county. ‘The last passenger pigeon that I saw was
in the spring of 1884.’ Reported in questionnaire by Robert
Pasmore, Rockwood, Ontario.

1884—York county, Toronto. ‘The passenger pigeon still occasionally
visits the region where once dense clouds of these birds used to cover
the fences and trees.’’ Mulvany (136).

1885—Bruce county. ‘‘Scarceashens’ teeth.’’ ‘“Tamarack’’ (169).

1885—Carleton county, Ottawa. June 28. Female and one young shot
near McKay’s lake, Ottawa.
May 10 and August 25. A male seen in Col. W. White’s garden,
Ottawa.) Wioyd (tiie):

1885—Middlesex county, London. ‘‘The latest record of birds that
probably bred in the London district is that of 3 or 4 birds, a male,
female and young, which were seen and the female and one young
shot, about 15 miles east of London, on September 24th, 1885.”
Saunders (22c).

1885—Ontario county, Washburns island in Lake Scugog. October.
One seen. Reported in questionnaire by Mr. John Townson, Toronto.

1885—Perth county, Listowel. June 10. Eleven seen and ‘‘odd ones
seen since.’’ Kells (100).

1885—Simcoe county. September. “I was out hunting ruffed grouse
with an uncle. Isawa pair of pigeons alight on a hemlock tree about
60 yards distant. He took my gun and aimed between them and
both fell. These were the last shot in our section—September,
1885.’’ Reported in questionnaire by Mark Robinson, Algonquin
Park,

1886—Carleton county, Ottawa. April 15. Twelve seen at McKay’s

lake, Ottawa.
May 24. One seen at McKay’s lake, Ottawa. E/jfrig (62).

DECREASE AND EXTERMINATION 1o5

1886—Halton county, near Campbellville. A few pairs breeding.
Brooks (33).

1886—Middlesex county, Strathroy. Practically gone from this region.
Barrows (14).

1886—Ontario county, Myrtle. “. . . July 4th, 1886, when I saw the
last male wild pigeon alive near Myrtle Station on the C.P.R. north
of Whitby. When the train stopped to take water a male pigeon
came to quench his thirst and, after doing so, flew up to the fence
and started to preen his feathers. Then the engine started, and
I had my last look at a live wild pigeon.’”’ John Townson. Article
read before Brodie Club, Toronto. See Appendix.

1886—Wentworth county, Beverley swamp. One shot, April 26. Shot
and recorded by Dr. K. C. Mcllwraith, of Toronto.

1887—Algoma district. ‘‘The last pigeons in my experience were in
Algoma in 1887. I killed not a few in the region of Echo Bay, and
up the Echo river and at Findley Bridge where I was camping for
a week.’’ Reported in letter by Mr. N. Pearson, Aurora, Ontario.
1887—Carleton county, Ottawa. August 23. One seen in Col. W.
White’s garden, Ottawa.
September 3. One seen at Kettle island, Ottawa. E/ifrig (62).

1887—Simcoe county, Wasaga Beach. ‘‘In 1887 I was picking blue
berries near Wasaga Beach. My father and mother and I saw seven
Pigeons, the last we saw of these birds.’ Reported in questionnaire
by Mark Robinson, Algonquin Park, Ontario.

1887—Victoria county. ‘Last fall while shooting in the northern part
of Victoria county my companion had the luck to kill one of these
beautiful birds, it being the first one taken in that district for several
years, although they may be seen occasionally.” W.C. L. (104).

1888—Cochrane district, Moose Factory. Aset of eggstaken. Macoun
(118).

1888—Dufferin county. ‘““They were killed September, 1888.’’ Re-
ported in questionnaire by D. Nelson Phillips, Laurel, Ontario.

1888—Middlesex county, Wyton. March 29. Diary says: “. . . .Also
saw a wild pigeon.’’ Thisislast record. Reported in questionnaire
by Frank L. Farley, Camrose, Alta.

1888—Muskoka District. Shot in fall of 1888, one male. Reported in
questionnaire and verbally to the author by Alfred Kay, Port
Sydney, Muskoka.

1888—Renfrew county, Renfrew. “I shot a bird of this species about
three miles west of Renfrew, Ontario, in September, 1888. (Rev.
C. J. Bethune).” J. & J. M. Macoun (121). |

136 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

1888—York county, Locust Hill. About May 24th. One shot by
Daniel Cox. (Reported verbally to Prof. J. R. Dymond, Royal
Ontario Museum of Zoology).

[1889— Michigan, Mackinac Island. ‘‘A large flock was seen feeding in
beech woods, August 30, 1889, after which they were frequently seen.
About a hundred were observed September 10, and on September 12
the main body departed. But a few individuals were present when
I left [September 24]. None were observed in 1890 or 1891.”
Stewart Edward White (190).]

1890—Wentworth county, Aldershot. One female collected by H. B.
Dickson. A mounted specimen now in the Royal Ontario Museum
of Zoology, donated by Mr. Paul Hahn.

1890—York county, Toronto. May 12. Humber island. One male

seen by Wm. Cross (52).
September 20 and October 11. An immature female taken on each
of these dates. That taken on October 11 being now in the collection
of Mr. J. H. Fleming (70). The September 20 specimen is also
recorded by Edmonds (60).

1891—Algoma district, two miles northeast of Dean Lake Station. One
pair seen about the end of May, or first week in June, near the
Mississagi river. Reported in questionnaire by Dr. R. H. Arthur,
Sudbury, Ontario.

1891—Carleton county, Ottawa. Rare, breeds. Lees, Kingston & J.
Macoun (110).

1891—Hastings county, Belleville. June. One male shot. Reported
verbally by Allan Twining, to J. L. Baillie, Jr., of Royal Ontario
Museum of Zoology.

1891—York county, Toronto. ‘April 13, saw a male specimen in Uni-
versity Park Ravine, which I pursued for half an hour but failed to
collect.” “Atkimson+ (7):

1892—Sudbury district, Lake Kenogamissi. One seen late July. S.R.
Clarke (45).

1898—Grey county, St. Vincent township. “In 1893 at north end of
St. Vincent. There were three that summer that visited Deer Lake
spring on high clay banks on east side. Were seen often at spring
and grain fields, but they failed to come again.’’ Reported in
questionnaire by Wm. Metcalf, Ravenna, Ontario.

1893—-Lambton county. August 15. Someseen. ‘Blue Beech”’ (25).

1895—Grey county, Collingwood township. ‘‘The last wild pigeon seen
by me was on the back end of my father’s farm about the middle of
August, 1895. I saw one pair that year.’’ Reported in question-
naire by Alex. Dey, Brownsburg, P.Q.

CAUSES LEADING TO EXTERMINATION 137

1896—York county, Toronto. April 15. A flock of thirteen, all females
or young, seen in High Park. Reported verbally by Geo. Pearce to
J. L. Baillie, Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology.
October 22. Eleven seen on Wells Hill by J. Hughes Samuel.
Fleming (68).

1898—Frontenac county, near Kingston. A small breeding colony,
perhaps 20 birds. See Nesting Table. Reported in ‘‘Rockwood
Review,’ Nov. 1898 (22c). Also by Professor MacClement of
Queen’s University, and probably by Dr. C. K. Clarke to Nash (1387).

1898—Middlesex county, Glencoe. “....Mr. D. C. Black, Appin,
Ontario, writes recently [1898]: ‘I saw nine in a wheat field near the
village of Glencoe, and they are the first I have seen in twenty-five
years 2 4. Ward: (183), |

1899—Dufferin county, Orangeville. ‘‘A flock of ten seen on Easter,
1899.’ Calvert (35).

1900—York county, Etobicoke creek. May 16. Flock of ten seen by
O. Spanner. Fleming (68).
Centre Island, Toronto. July 6. Five seen by J. Hughes Samuel.
Fleming (68).

1902—Simcoe county, Penetanguishene. May16. Oneseen. May 18.
One pair seen. All three seen by A. L. Young. Fleming (68).

It would seem superfluous to comment in any great detail on this list.
The matter of last appearances has been gone into very thoroughly in
other publications, and nothing here either adds very materially to, or
contradicts, conclusions already arrived at. Even the large nesting of
about 1884 is not startling news, for French (75a) reports a great nesting
in Pennsylvania in 1886; Barrows (15c) tells of some twelve hundred birds
nesting near Lake City, Michigan, in this year, and of thousands appear-
ing at Cadillac in the spring of 1888; while in 1889 even as far east as
Maine flocks of pigeons were still to be seen (32).

As to the nesting of 1898 near Kingston, it is recorded on very good
authority, and as there were obviously pigeons still existing in 1900 I see
no reason for their not attempting to nest somewhere, however un-
successfully, during these last few years.

CausEs LEADING TO EXTERMINATION

Probable Immediate Cause

Perhaps the disappearance of the passenger pigeon will always have
a slight element of mystery about it. It is difficult for the human mind
to grasp the fact that a creature, once so numerous, could vanish utterly
and completely from the earth. It is, however, becoming increasingly

138 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

clear that no one agency was entirely responsible for the disappearance,
but that it was brought about by a combination of circumstances.

The most immediate of these concerned the optimum of the species.
For each species of animal there appears to be an optimum number, 7.e.,
a density of population at which it thrives best—as well as a maximum
and, in some cases, a minimum. It is easy to understand that there
should be a maximum, as it is obvious that only a certain number of
individuals can exist in a given locality under given circumstances. But
that a minimum should be reached below which a species cannot survive
is much more difficult to explain.

Elton (68b), in discussing this phenomenon, cites as an example of
its operation the fact that in the Lake Victoria region of Africa, tsetse
flies occur on all the islands of the lake except on small ones below a
certain size. On the small islands there are no flies, although conditions
are apparently just as favourable, showing that the insects cannot exist
in numbers below a certain level and so do not occur at all in a space
too small to support this number.

It is therefore suggested that the disappearance of the passenger
pigeon was due to the reduction of their numbers below the minimum
at which the species could exist. No one has yet given a satisfactory
explanation of why such a result should follow serious numerical reduc-
tion, except that a psychological effect appears to be involved in it.
With the passenger pigeon it seems to be a case of a creature used to
living in the ‘‘grand manner’’ whose way of life was so upset and reduced
that it could not carry on in straitened circumstances. Such a result,
of course, does not always follow. Some species are more adaptable than
others and are able to persist in greatly reduced numbers, or if conditions
become more favourable, to become numerous again. That the passenger
pigeon lacked this necessary adaptability is indicated by the observations
of Whitman (39f). He found it much duller than other species of pigeons
which he kept in captivity. It seemed to be a slave of instinctive habit,
for he says: ‘“‘The passenger pigeon’s instinct is wound up to a high point
of uniformity and promptness, and her conduct is almost too bluntly
regular to be credited even with that stupidity which implies a grain of
intelligence.”

This theory is also most satisfactory in accounting for the suddenness
with which the species finally disappeared, that is, during the twenty
years between 1880 and 1900. Elton (63a) says: “*. . . great abundance
is no criterion that a species is in no danger of extinction. Just as an
animal can increase very quickly in a few years under good conditions,
so on the other hand it may be entirely wiped out in a few years, even
though it is enormously abundant. The argument that a species is in

CAUSES LEADING TO EXTERMINATION 139

no danger because it is very common is a complete fallacy.’’ And this
applies perfectly to the wild pigeons whose sudden end has heretofore
been made believable only by rather unsatisfactory theories, or by the
invention of wild tales.

Indeed, there is no doubt in the author’s mind that this upsetting
of the balance of Ectopistes migratorius’ equilibrium of life was the final
factor contributing to its extinction and I think it may be made clearer
by the following discussion of the lesser factors. It will also be shown
that the upsetting was done directly by man and not by indirect effects
of civilization.

Clearing the Land

Clearing of the land was the first act of the settler and the business
of the lumber-jack, and had a decided local effect upon the nesting and
roosting of wild pigeons. As Lambert (105) said: ‘‘As the land is cleared
they retire back.’”’ This fact has been brought forward and emphasized
by many writers as a primary cause of disappearance, and so it was, but
not of destruction. It undoubtedly drove the flocks to new nesting sites,
further from the settlements, causing local ‘‘disappearance’’. And being
forced to leave certain regions probably had a subtle adverse effect upon
the species. Although pigeons were wanderers it seems apparent that
once their course was set it was held rather tenaciously, and perhaps
arriving at a favourite nesting site and finding it burned or cleared would
upset considerably their physiological arrangements for the season.
Whitman says that they were easily disconcerted in this way. One
adverse experience was sufficient to break up roosting habits and incuba-
tion activities. ‘‘Pigeons are very constant to their chosen roosting
places, but when once molested in these they do not forget it the next
night’’ (39e).

In Ontario clearing of the land had its inception at the beginning
of the nineteenth century. At first the Crown took the best timber,
chiefly pine, and then granted the partially cleared areas to the settler.
The practice went on for many years, most of southern Ontario being
cleared by this method; and it was really not until about 1860 that
commercial lumbering was well established. Until 1870 logging activities
centred chiefly in the Ottawa valley, then moved westward toward
Georgian Bay and thence northward. It was a slow process and it was
almost 1900 before there was any great development of the industry
in the north.

Forest fire seems to have been a far more destructive element in
Ontario. Since the history of the province began almost fifty per cent.
has been burned at one time or another, and in some sections, such as

140 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

the Rainy River district and the Kenora region, the damage has been
excessive, eighty-one per cent. of the former section having been burned
over in the past sixty years, or since about 1870. Here and in the United
States this fire devastation must have had some effect on the species,
both in actually destroying nestings and in changing habitat. And yet
it is felt that in spite of this, in spite of the alarming proportions of fire
statistics and of changes attendant on settlement and lumbering, there
was still, at the end of the nineteenth century, ample shelter and food
left in Canada and the United States for great numbers of pigeons. Not
perhaps sufficient for the support of the prodigious flocks of the early
days, but at least enough for the maintainance of a considerable remnant.

A few more statistics may serve to support this theory. In Ontario,
even to-day, thirty-three per cent. of the province is mature forest, uncut
and unburned for probably seventy-five years or more (157). Forty or
fifty years ago this percentage must have been considerably higher.

From an edition of Rand, McNally & Company’s “Indexed Atlas
of the World” (151), published in 1883, the following figures are taken
showing the amount of wooded country in various states. They are of
course very generalized, they give no indication of the type of wood, how,
or where it was growing, and much of it was no doubt unfit for pigeon
population, but they give at least the idea that there were still, at that
date, great expanses of forest in the northern States where pigeons bred.

Maine was estimated to have 10,000,000 acres of pine forests; Ver-
mont, 1,386,934 acres of woodland; Massachusetts, 930,402 acres of
woodland; New York ‘‘was formerly covered with forests and these are
still extensive although the State is one of the most densely populated
and best cultivated in the Union’; Pennsylvania, 5,740,854 acres of
woodland; Ohio, 5,101,441 acres of woodland; Indiana, about one third
forest land; Michigan, still apparently well wooded, although being
rapidly deforested.

From all this argument it would seem then that it was not the actual
removal of forests that affected the species; but the indirect effect of
forced change from a customary habitat may have been disturbing and
detrimental and probably contributed just so much more to the wrong
side of the balance.

Barrows (15d) thinks that the cutting of pine, beech and oak woods
was disastrous in that it deprived the birds of their most important source
of food, but it could hardly have been so since clearing produced other
food conditions that were highly favourable to them. As land was
cleared grain fields increased, and waste clearings usually produce abun-
dant crops of berry bushes—raspberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, etc.,
which seem to have been relished by pigeons almost as much as their

CausEs LEADING TO EXTERMINATION 141

acorn-beechnut diet. In Ontario at least, the commercial cutting of
maple, beech and birch was very localized, due to difficulties in trans-
portation. So that one most important item of pigeons’ diet, the beech,
would be slow to go, and as has been pointed out before, it still exists in
considerable quantities in certain parts of Ontario.

Another theory advanced by Barrows (15d) as a sequel to the changes
wrought by clearing the land, is that in consequence wild pigeons were
forced to nest farther and farther north. He suggests that here their
early nesting habits would frequently encounter spring snow storms, and
these, coupled with short summers, would make nesting less and less
successful the farther north the birds were driven. The data that we
have for northern Ontario are brief and few, but they give no indication
of pigeons nesting more commonly in later years. Indeed from the
general trend one would be inclined to judge that they were here, as
elsewhere, more common in the early days. It was 1772 when they
‘“‘abounded”’ at Moose Factory (74) and about 1883 Borron (27b) found
no signs of nesting in the Moose river basin.

Disease

Disease has been suggested as an important element in destruction.
‘Hog cholera’’ and a form of ‘‘diphtheria’’ have been described as carry-
ing off wild pigeons in enormous numbers in various localities. A great
deal of evidence for the diphtheria argument has been gathered by
Thompson (174), which seems to indicate that as the species was weaken-
ing it became susceptible to disease, and in this connection it is pertinent
to note that Thomson (175) states that the English wood pigeon fre-
quently suffers epidemics of a form of diphtheria, the ‘‘symptoms’’ of
which are similar to those described in the pamphlet just mentioned.

It is of course also possible that some poultry or domestic pigeon
disease may have been transmitted to Ectopistes. Frequent mention is
made, by our correspondents and in the literature, of wild pigeons coming
to feed in barn yards and around farms where grain or chicken feed was
in tempting quantities. In this way parasites or bacteria could be easily
spread among them and would probably have disastrous effects as is so
often the case with an introduced disease. That such transmission is
possible is evidenced by the studies of Gross (82). Indeed he believes
that the introduction of blackhead by pheasants among the heath hens
was to a great extent responsible for the latter’s extermination.

It is unfortunate that no scientific investigation of reported disease
among passenger pigeons was ever made. In a normal state they were
certainly subject to sufficient checks in other ways. They were not
prolific, even if they raised two or three broods in a season. Their nests

142 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

were frail and poorly built, causing high mortality amongst the young.
Squabs when newly out of the nest were unusually fat and clumsy, being
fair game for their natural enemies. Early migration led to heavy
casualties from late snow storms. All these should have been quite
enough to keep numbers within bounds and make epidemics unnecessary.

Man’s Destruction of the Species

When the white man came to America with its teeming wild life,
from the very outset he shot, trapped and killed every wild thing he
encountered, from the squirrel to the buffalo. At first hunting was for
_ food, to supply the often dire need of the struggling colonist, but as time
went on and life became somewhat more secure, hunting became more
organized as a sport and thus far more destructive to wild life. In various
places we read of what were called “‘squirrel hunts,’’ when the men of a
neighbourhood would go off for perhaps a week’s shooting, during which
time anything was considered game. __ Here are the figures for one day’s
‘squirrel hunt’’ bag as related by Weld (184): “1 wild cat, 7 red foxes,
29 raccoons, 76 woodchucks, 101 rabbits, 21 owls, 42 hawks, 103 par-
tridges, 14 quails, 39 crows, 4,497 gray, red, black and striped squirrels,
25 wild ducks, besides unnumbered pigeons, jays, woodpeckers, etc.”’

As has been shown throughout this treatise, wild pigeons came in for
more than their share of destruction and their extermination supplies
probably the best example known of the relentless power of man’s
stupidity. To the first arrivals in America it was quite inconceivable
that the numbers of passenger pigeons could ever be lessened and even
to us now it seems surprising for men to have brought about the dis-
appearance of all the pigeons seen by Audubon and Wilson in their day,
even in the seventy-five years left between Audubon’s observations and
the days of ‘“‘last appearances.’’ But-the secret of the puzzle lies very
largely in the fact that men had access to the nesting colonies. If
pigeons, like many of our ducks, had nested only in the most northerly
parts of their range, they would have survived for many more years,
particularly if spring shooting had been abolished.

Spring shooting of any species is obviously disastrous. It cuts off
the capital and of necessity reduces the income, or rather the out-put,
and not only were passenger pigeons subjected to this on the widest and
most devastating scale, but they were never free from persecution at any
time of the year. The fat squabs were always considered a delicacy,
young birds in the summer were much sought after, and adults were
taken everywhere at any time.

CAUSES LEADING TO EXTERMINATION 143

Markei Hunters

Although the battle was continuous since the earliest days of the
English and French settlements, it reached its culmination with the
advent of the market hunter, who put in his appearance about 1840 and
spread over the country with the development of the railways. For the
next forty years these men carried on their business, increasing in number
each year, and were assisted in their work by all the improvements of the
age—better roads, telegraphic systems, refrigeration, and so on.

The best idea of the scope of the trade can be obtained from Mershon’s
collection of letters and articles on the subject (131), and even a most
superficial reading gives the vivid impression that no species of living
creature could have survived such persecution. Not only does it seem
more than sufficient to have disastrously upset the balance of the wild
pigeons’ optimum, as suggested, but it becomes a surprising fact that
even a limited number were left surviving until the end of the century.

Mershon’s figures are only of the official slaughter, and while it was
going on private individuals were still decimating their local flocks and
visiting their nearby nesting colonies, killing for sport and food, supplying
their friends and salting down the surplus for the winter. Mershon’s
pages are full of very damning evidence, both circumstantial and direct,
and one of the most interesting sets of figures is in the reprint of an article
by Martin (124). This was written as refutation of the results of an
investigation carried on by Professor H. B. Roney at the great Petoskey
nesting of 1878. Mr. Roney apparently estimated that one million five
hundred thousand dead and eighty thousand live birds had been shipped
by rail from this nesting quite exclusive of those sent by boat, and other
means, or taken by Indians, and Mr. Martin hastens to correct such
shocking exaggeration. He says: “I have official figures before me, and
they show that the shipments from Petoskey and Boyne Falls were:

Petoskey, Glad, DY iEXPleSSic..y. ac. seine lee ee 490,000
Peresicey, ave. DY. EXPT essi.. . ivace, af side os ee the Se 86,400
Rees Fle ea tad teak. Sic, « sksiaph «oo. zie One 47,100
Wyma AMV, cam orstn. Sessa: x ie ee ws 42,696
Petoskey, dead, by boat, estimated........:.... “110,000
Petoskey, alive, by boat, estimated............. 33,640
Cheboygan, dead, by boat, estimated........... 108,300
Cheboygan, alive, by boat, estimated........... 89,730
Other points, dead and alive, estimated......... 100,000

1,107,866

144 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

“This may be set down as accurate or nearly so, and 1,500,000 will
cover the total destruction of birds by net, gun and Indians.’’ A mere
bagatelle as compared to Mr. Roney’s over-estimation!

Another quotation will serve to stress how widespread and persistent
this business was. Osborn (13le) writes: ‘In 1861 a large body of birds
were in Ohio roosting in the Hocking Hills, my first year out [as a market
hunter] we were at Circleville, and my company shipped over 225 barrels,
mostly to New York and Boston. The birds fed on the corn fields. In
1862 the birds nested at Monroe, Wisconsin. We commenced in May
and remained until the last of August. The several companies put up
some ten thousand dozen for stall feeding after the freight shipment.
Express charges on each barrel were $7 to $9. In the fall of 1862 we had
fine sport shooting birds in the roost at Johnstown, Ohio (now Ada),
some four weeks. Then the birds moved to Logan county. After two
weeks the birds skipped south, it being December and snow on the

ground.
“In 1863 the birds nested in Pennsylvania. We had some fine sport
at Smith Port and Sheffield. . . .In 1864, at St. Charles, Minn., we had

some fine sport, but our freights were high to New York, so we came to
Leon, Wisconsin. A heavy body was nesting in the Kickapoo woods,
and several companies of hunters located here. In 1865 a heavy nesting
was in Canada. . . .We next went to Wisconsin, where a heavy snow-
storm broke up the roosts. We were at Afton, Brandon and Appleton.
We then went to Rochester, Minn., the end of the railroad. . . .We then
went to Marquette in the Upper Peninsula and camped on Dead river.
A heavy body had got through nesting, but worlds of birds were feeding
on blueberries.

‘In 1866 the birds nested in a heavy body near Martinsville, Indiana.
We caught some birds at Cartersburg. After we closed up in Indiana
we went to Pennsylvania. There was a heavy nesting near Wilcox, at
Highlands. In gathering squabs five of us got a barrel a piece, which
netted us $75 to $100 per barrel in New York. They struck a bare
market.’’ And this tale continues year by year until 1878, and when
one considers that it is only one pigeoner’s story and that there were
estimated to be about five thousand operating throughout the United
States and to some extent in Canada, it does not seem so strange, mys-
terious and unexplainable that passenger pigeons vanished from the earth.

Contemporary Opinions on Extermination

It is of interest to see the various theories and opinions that were
brought forward while this organized and wholesale destruction was
going on. There were a few thinking people who were also observers,

CAUSES LEADING TO EXTERMINATION 145

and hwo realized in what direction affairs were tending, but the majority
seem to have obstinately held the opinion that pigeons, and indeed most
of the wild life of the country, were inexhaustible. Benedict Révoil, the
French huntsman, was among the thoughtful, and in writing of his
adventures in America, which evidently took place between 1840 and
1850, he says (55):

‘“‘As the reader will infer from the foregoing remarks, this variety of
game [passenger pigeons] is, in America, threatened with destruction.
In proportion as civilization extends into the vast wilderness of the West,
men increase in number, and the human race, which everywhere reigns
despotically, and permits no restraint upon its tyranny, gradually
destroys the communities of animals. Already the deer, the goats, and
the great horned cattle which peopled the ancient colonies of England,
have almost disappeared in the principal states of the Union. The herds
of bison which a hundred years ago pastured peacefully on the savannahs
beyond the Mississippi see their ranks thinning daily; while the skeletons
of their fellows, slain by trappers and emigrants and Indians, whiten on
the ground, and mark the gradual advance of man. Everything leads
to the belief that the pigeons which cannot endure isolation, forced to fly
or to change their habits as the territory of North America shall become
peopled with the overplus of Europe, will eventually disappear from this
continent; and if the world endure a century longer, I will wager that the
amateur of ornithology will find no pigeons except in select museums of
Natural History.”

About the same time (1850) Strickland (166) says: “I have been
informed that this breeding place [in Fenelon township, Ontario] has
been deserted for several years, owing to the settlements having ap-
proached too near to please the winged possessors.

‘This satisfactorily accounts for the decrease I have noticed amongst
these feathered denizens of the forest, during the last seven or eight years.
In consequence of their having been disturbed, they have sought a more
remote breeding-place. I am not at all certain whether this decrease is
general through the province; but I feel quite convinced that, as civiliza-
tion increases, all kinds of birds and wild animals will become less
numerous, with the exception of crows and mice, which are greatly on
the increase.”

On the other side there is the report of a select committee of the
Senate of Ohio in 1857, on a bill proposed to protect the passenger
pigeon (143):

“The passenger pigeon needs no protection, wonderfully prolific,
having the vast forests of the north as its breeding grounds, travelling
hundreds of miles in search of food, it is here to-day and elsewhere to-

146 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

morrow, and no ordinary destruction can lessen them, or be missed from
the myriads that are yearly produced.”’

And the following reasoning is even more strange (12):

“They disappeared quite suddenly from some cause which is yet
undiscovered. It is customary, even among ornithologists, to claim that
they were exterminated by man, as the bison were, but all the evidence
is against this. At the State Sportsmen’s convention held in Utica in
1873 wild pigeons were used as targets. From my scrapbook I find that
the number of birds shot at during the two days of this convention was
2,860, in the regular matches. There were probably sweep-stakes and
outside matches requiring many more. So cheap were they that my
recollection is that the price for sweep-stakes was only 25 cents per bird
shot at. Up to that time, therefore, and probably for a year or two after
they were common enough to be used by thousands for targets at State
Association meetings. [As has been shown already, they were ‘“‘common
enough” up to 1880, and afterwards, for this purpose] Ten thousand were
purchased each year, I am informed,...

‘“ |. The records of others, marketmen, dealers and observers, show
that these birds nested in millions, perhaps billions, in the States about
the Great Lakes, yearly, up to 1878. During this year they were killed,
trapped and shipped alive and dead in as great numbers as ever (a million
and a quarter birds from one district). It seemed impossible that these
immense numbers could be much reduced except by years of persecution.
[Perhaps the author thought the million and a. quarter birds would be
resurrected to produce a supply for 1879]. But the next year, 1879,
the birds did not return to their usual nesting places. It was supposed
that they had gone further west or further north and the scouts of the
hunters and the trappers would soon discover the nesting place again.
But though searched for thoroughly by those who, being financially
interested, spent time and money liberally, they were never found and
the few birds which occurred throughout the country, though no longer
disturbed continued to diminish in numbers till they have entirely
disappeared. .. .”’

It is obvious of course that Mr. Bagg’s last argument is based on
misinformation—pigeons nested in Michigan and other States and in
Canada for many years after 1878, and they certainly must have been
“disturbed” as birds continued to appear in markets until the early ’90’s.
The destruction at Petoskey in 1878 did seem to give the final push to
the slowly descending balance, but Bendire (21a) sums up the situation
which prevailed during the last twenty years of the century when he says:

‘In fact, the extermination of the Passenger Pigeon has progressed
so rapidly during the past twenty years that it looks now as if their total

LEGISLATION | 147

extermination might be accomplished within the present century. The
only thing which retards their complete extinction is that it no longer
pays to net these birds, they being too scarce for this now, at least in the
more settled portions of the country, and also, perhaps, that from con-
stant and unremitting persecution on their breeding grounds they have
changed their habits somewhat, the majority no longer breeding in
colonies, but scattering over the country and breeding in isolated pairs.”’

LEGISLATION

We are so accustomed now to employing legislation for the protection
of wild life and for the saving of species whose numbers are reduced that
it is natural to wonder what part the law played in the history of the
passenger pigeon.

The first law which affected pigeons favourably was one passed in
Vermont in 1851 which protected all non-game birds all the year round
and imposed a fine of one dollar for each offense in the destroying of
nests or eggs.

Other laws dealing directly with wild pigeons prohibited shooting and
netting within varying distances of nesting colonies, breaking up of nests,
etc., in various States; but it is quite apparent that they were usually
ignored and seldom if ever enforced. And there was an early law in
Massachusetts (1848) that protected netters from disturbance, imposing
a fine of ten dollars and damages on anyone frightening pigeons away
from nets. The Ohio opinion that pigeons needed no protection seems
to have been the prevalent one. It was not until 1897, which as we know
now was much too late, that Michigan declared a closed season of ten
years on the species, and in 1905 it was put in the non-game bird class
and so obtained year-round protection (142a).

Apparently it was not protected in Ontario until too late. The Small
Bird Act of 1887 contains the following: ‘‘No Birds, except game birds,
eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, wild pigeons, black birds, crows, English
sparrows and ravens to be at any time killed or molested. . .’’ and from
then until 1897 it is included in all such lists of exceptions. At this date
the birds protected in the province were ‘‘wild native birds (other than
game birds, English sparrow, hawks, crow and blackbirds)’’ and as
pigeons do not seem to have been put on the list of game birds they no
doubt received protection at this time.

In Quebec they were not protected in 1899 and might still be trapped
or netted there at that date (142c); and they were unprotected in Mani-
toba by the revised statutes of the province for 1891 (142b).

Thus there seems to have been little effort by legislation to save the

148 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

species from extinction, due perhaps to several reasons. In the early
days of game laws, pigeons were apparently too numerous to conceivably
need protection. Then the species became so commercially important
that it was in the interest of market hunters and trap-shooters to keep
it unprotected; and finally it was considered by many people in the same
class as sparrows or blackbirds, either too common to notice or too
destructive to warrant protection.

LIFE HISTORY

Ectopistes migratorius was a gregarious species, migrating and nesting
in enormous numbers, but nesting also, as do many gregarious birds, in
small colonies and even in scattered pairs. It was wide ranging, occurring
from the Atlantic seaboard to the Rocky Mountains and from the
Mackenzie district to the gulf of Mexico.

It was seemingly erratic in its appearances, being governed by food
supply—abundance of mast or other food usually assuring its occurrence
in a given locality.

Arrival and departure were variable in date, being again controlled
largely by food supply. In spring the species would appear in the breed-
ing areas any time between March Ist and June Ist. After nesting the
immediate vicinity of the nesting site might be deserted at once, or the
site might be used as a roost throughout the summer. Flocks of various
sizes wandered after nesting and these sometimes gathered in large
numbers in some central locality from which there would be a general
exodus in the fall.

The autumn migration was more desultory than the spring and
probably covered a period from the end of September until well on into
November. Under favourable conditions birds were known to stay
during the winter in the more northern parts of their range.

Nesting took place normally in large colonies, often many square miles
in extent, which comprised practically any species of tree that would
hold the nests. These were frail affairs placed commonly near the trunk
of the tree and at varying heights although more usually in the lower
branches.

The eggs were pure white, one or two in number. Male and female
shared in brooding and feeding the young, and alternated in these duties
with great regularity, the cocks being on the nest between 10 a.m. and
4 p.m. approximately. The incubation period seems to have varied,
perhaps due to weather and food supply, and apparently ranged from
twelve and a half days (as with Whitman’s captive birds) to about
three weeks. The young were quite helpless on hatching, and for a

Lire HISTORY 149

period were fed a secretion from the parents’ crop known as pigeon’s
milk and later with regurgitated food. The squabs remained in the nest
for about two weeks, and were very fat and clumsy on first leaving it.

The number of broods seems to have been variable, but at least two
were usual; and it is highly probable that a new nest was built for the
second brood. Nesting took place throughout several months, although
the period in any one locality might be quite short. Colonies could be
found any time between early March and late July according to the
region.

Large roosts were frequently formed to which the birds repaired at
night; in fact, it is probable that if sufficient evidence could be obtained
it would be found that each nesting colony had an adjacent roost.
Centralized roosting also occurred after nesting was over, either in the
roosts already formed or in new locations.

The passenger pigeon fed largely on vegetable,material, eating mast,
berries of many kinds, grain, and roots, and it also ate, on occasion,
worms, grubs and caterpillars. In ground feeding the species exhibited
the rotary habit common to some terrestrial feeders, that is, they moved
over the surface with a broad front, the birds in the rear continually
rising and flying forward to settle in advance of the front ranks. They
drank, as do all pigeons, without lifting the head.

Although seemingly erratic in their yearly appearances and non-
appearances, in their daily life they had many firmly fixed habits. They
were very faithful to their roosting, feeding and drinking places, and
would follow the same route with great regularity, each day, to and from
these various localities. And in their migration flights, the route, once
taken, would be held for several days by the successive flocks.

150 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

SPECIMENS IN ONTARIO COLLECTIONS
Specimens in Royal Ontario Museum

Definite locality unknown
91-11-1-912, o&, 1889, Ontario. Purchased.
04-11-1-146, &, Ontario. Donor Lady Gzowski.
Dufferin county
35-4-26-2, about 1865, near Orangeville. Donor Paul Hahn.
Elgin county
33-11-22-1, 1857, Paynes. Donor Paul Hahn.
Frontenac county
30-6-17-2, 9, Kingston. Donor E. Beaupre.
30-6-17-3, o', Kingston. Donor E. Beaupre.
Hastings county
26-11-1-1, June 12, 1890, Coe Hill. Purchased.
Huron county
31-10-31-1, o, about 1860, Goderich township. Donor Paul Hahn.
Kent county?
28-3-21-1, o, St. Clair Flats. Donor Paul Hahn.
Manitoulin Island
33-12-12-1, early 1890’s. Donor Paul Hahn.
Middlesex county
32-4-19-30, o, 1873, Strathburn. Donor Paul Hahn.
32-4-19-31, o’, 1873, Strathburn. Donor Paul Hahn.
34-4-13-3, about 1880, Hyde Park. Donor Paul Hahn.
Northumberland county
33-8-31-24, o&, about 1863, Grafton. Donor Paul Hahn.
33-8-31-25, about 1863, Grafton. . Donor Paul Hahn.
33-8-31-26, 2, about 1863, Grafton. Donor Paul Hahn.
33-8-31-27, o', about 1863, Grafton. Donor Paul Hahn.
Ontario county
31-1-28-1, o, Pickering. Donor Paul Hahn.
31-1-28-2, 9, Pickering. Donor Paul Hahn.
34-7-22-1, &, Pickering. Donors Geo. J. and Chas. Fothergill.
34-7-22-2, o, about 1870, Port Perry. Donor Port Perry Library
Board.
34-7-22-3, &, about 1870, Port Perry. Donor Port Perry Library
Board.
Oxford county
34-5-17-1, 2, about 1863, Embro. Donor Paul Hahn.

SPECIMENS IN ONTARIO COLLECTIONS 151

Perth county |
30-10-17-1, 2, 1869, Lot 31, Con. 8, Elma township. Donor
Paul. Hahn.
Peterborough county
30-6-20-3, April, 1891, Peterborough. From Ontario Provincial
Museum.
30-11-23-1, o, about 1876, Lakefield. Donor Paul Hahn.
Prince Edward county
32-8-29-1, o, early ’70’s, Huycks Point, Hillier township. Pur-
chased.
Simcoe county
34-8-8-1, about 1870. Donor: Paul Hahn.
35-4-2-2, Imm. Barrie. Donor H. Percy Bingham.
35-4-2-3, Imm. Barrie. Donor H. Percy Bingham.
Wentworth county
30-3-14-1, 9, 1890, Aldershot. Donor Paul Hahn.
York county
t8-12-10-25, o"», Toronto*Island. » Donor W: H. Merritt.
19-2-7-1, o’, Yonge and Carlton Streets, Toronto. Donor Paul
Hahn.
27-10-1-1, co’, 1865, Yonge and Carlton Streets, Toronto. Donor
Paul Hahn.
30-1-16-1, 1871, Mimico. Donor Paul Hahn.
30-10-2-1, o’, mid-September, 1879, northeast Toronto. Donor
Paul Hahn.
al-12-30-1.c', West: Loronto..., Donor: Mrs.H. A..W_sMackad:
33-12-29-1, about 1876, Jameson Avenue, Toronto. Donor Mrs.
2H. Gooch.
34-3-23-1, o', 1871, Tannery Hollow, Toronto. Donor Paul Hahn.
34-3-23-2, 9, 1871, Tannery Hollow, Toronto. Donor Paul Hahn.
34-4-19-1, autumn about 1874, Don Valley, Toronto. Donor
Paul Hahn.
34-6-7-1, o, April about 1880, Bathurst and Ulster Streets, Toronto.
Donor Paul Pahn.
Specimens with no data
70-1-1-84, 9. Old Collection.
11-4-3-63, @. Donor Rev. John Doel.
14-6-12-3, &@. Donated by Knox College.
18-8-12-1,"°o. Donor Paul Hahn.
20-11-16-1, &. Purchased.
20-11-16-2, 9. Purchased.
21-2-15-1, o. Donor Paul Hahn.
21-12-6-1, o&'. Donor Dr. C. T. Currelly.

152 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

21-12-12-1, o&. Purchased.

24-11-4-2. Donor Paul Hahn.

26-11-1-2, o&'. Purchased.

26-11-2-1, o&. Donor Paul Hahn.

27-10-21-1, o&. Donor Paul Hahn.

29-4-19-3, o. By exchange.

30-10-25-1, o&. Donor Paul Hahn.

31-4-22-15, o&. Donor Mrs. J. F. W. Ross.

31-4-22-16, Yg. Donor Mrs. J. F. W. Ross.

32-6-1-1, &@. Donor Cecil R. Allison.

33-6-20-2, o&. From Ontario Provincial Museum.

30-6-20-42, o. From Ontario Provincial Museum.

30-6-20-44, o'. From Ontario Provincial Museum.

33-9-1-230, o'. Purchased.

34-4-28-1. Donor Paul Hahn,

35-2-5-1, &. Donor Miss Wheatley, Yorkshire, England.

35-5-30-2. Donor C. G. Brennand.

35-4-26-1. Donor Wm. Petrie.

35-4-16-1. Donor Paul Hahn.

United States

34-1-5-1, o’, about 1878, Flint, Michigan. Donor Paul Hahn.

34-1-5-2, 9, about 1878, Flint, Michigan. Donor Paul Hahn.

34-5-8-21, o’, May 18, 1888, Oak Forest, Indiana. Donor W. A.
Brodie.

34-5-8-22, 9, May 13, 1888, Oak Forest, Indiana. Donor W. A.
Brodie.

Specimens in the McIlwratth Collection, Hamilion, Ontario
oc and @ shot about the year 1863 at Hamilton by T. MclIlwraith.

Specimens in Collection of W. E. Saunders, London, Ontario

110, o&, August, 1882, Point Pelee, Ontario.

449-24-9-85, juvenile male and

450-24-9-85, 2, both shot September 24, 1885, four miles east of
Dorchester (14 miles east of London). Recorded Ottawa
Naturalist, May, 1902, p. 438 (22c).

4447 (o'?), about 1860, by Mr. Haskett, probably on what is now
the Fair grounds in the city of London.

Mounted Specimens in National Museum, Ottawa
4403, &, near Toronto.
286, co’, probably Toronto or London. Holman Collection.
6461, no data.

oN)

THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO 15

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154 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO
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(69) —————————— Birds of Toronto, Canada. Auwk. 24:70. 1907.

156 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN ONTARIO

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